The Forest Clans: Honeystar's Story
by Something To Say
Summary: Honeykit was always destined to be leader... that was what her leader had told her. But when she discovers a great tragedy within her family, will she step up and take the role as leader, or will she break and run away? This is her story, the story of Honeystar. Please review!
1. Prologue

**AN: So this is the beginning of a new story that I have been thinking of. I want to experiment and see where it goes, it's sort of like a super edition, only it's based off of different Clans. There will be three Clans, consisting of PineClan, TreeClan and FlowerClan. You're more than welcome to submit OCs for the other Clans, but I've already made up an alliance for PineClan... Please let me know what you think of the prologue :)**

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" _Cause I need more time Just a few more months and we'll be fine So say what's on your mind Cause I can't figure out just what's inside So say alright Cause I know we can make it if we try Cause I need more time Just a few more months and we'll be fine We're off to new lands So hold on to my hands It's gonna be alright It's a whole lot brighter So stand by the fire It's gonna be alright Yeah, the road gets harder But it's not much farther It's gonna be alright You know that it ain't easy Please believe me It's gonna be alright..._ " More Time, NEEDTOBREATHE

 **PROLOGUE**

The cold damp grass of StarClan felt oddly comforting as her paws touched it for the first time in moons. She had almost forgotten what it was like to feel _young_ again. To move without the pain becoming too much. Her smooth tawny colored pelt gleamed with starlight as she stood in the middle of a large clearing. Here the trees were lush and full of life, and the scent of prey filled her lungs as she tasted the air. She longed to go hunting the moment she arrived, but something had stopped her.

She stopped and turned to see that someone was waiting for her. Her eyes widened in recognition, and she felt her heart nearly skip a beat as she ran over to the light brown tabby tom. A purr rose in her throat as he rubbed his muzzle against hers. It had been too long since she last felt his gentle touch.

"Honeystar, welcome to StarClan."

The golden she-cat purred once again as Clanmates welcomed her with open paws. She had always dreamed of this moment where they would one day meet again. And now, they were reunited once again. Honeystar blinked as she saw her former mentor approach her. For a moment she wondered what he would say to her. But she was met with silence as he dipped his head respectfully.

"Through your hardships, you have earned a place in StarClan. You will no longer feel hunger or pain, and you will forever be young," he promised.

Honeystar thought of everything she had been through as an apprentice, than a warrior. Her life had been filled with difficult trials, and she had often wondered if StarClan was punishing her for something she had done. Now she understood; they were preparing her for what lay ahead.

...

"Come on, just one more push should do it," a dark brown and white tom encouraged as a queen struggled to bring one last kit into the world.

At her belly lay two more kits. Her night had been long and difficult, but finally she was nearing the end. One more kit to greet the world for the first time. Finally she let out a low wail that echoed throughout the camp. Everyone who heard the wail stopped in their tracks, afraid something terrible had happened. But in the end, she had finally delivered her third and final kit. The queen let out a sigh of relief as the medicine cat licked the kit's fur the wrong way.

"Are they here?" another tom poked his head through the nursery entrance, watching in fear as the medicine cat turned to face him.

"Yes, they are all here, but give her some space. She's exhausted," he warned.

The ginger and white tom held back a sigh of relief as he pushed his way into the nursery, ignoring a heavily pregnant white queen who was resting nearby. Another queen sat outside and waited with her three kits during the whole process. They were playing outside, oblivious to what just happened. The tom's eyes softened when he saw his three kits for the first time.

"They're beautiful," he purred after realizing they were all different shades and colors. "Just like you."

"Two toms and a she-cat," the queen replied, her voice filled with exhaustion. But he could hear the loving tone as well, a tone that drew him even closer. "You can name the toms."

The ginger and white tom had to think quickly before answering, "How about Sunkit for the golden ginger tom?" he suggested. The gray and white tabby queen purred in approval. "And Scorchkit for the ginger and gray tom."

"And the golden she-kit will be Honeykit," she decided. "Sunkit, Scorchkit and Honeykit... welcome to the world, little ones."

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Allegiances

 **PineClan**

LEADER: **Tinystar** \- small gray she-cat with amber eyes

DEPUTY: **Mallowstalk** \- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT: **Sparrowclaw** \- dark brown and white tom with amber eyes

WARRIORS:

 **Nightfur** \- black she-cat with flecks of white in her fur, has green eyes  
 **Apprentice: Lunepaw**

 **Cedarclaw** \- dark ginger tom with amber eyes

 **Lightfeather** \- tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes  
 **Apprentice: Mistypaw**

 **Waspfang** \- gray and black tom with amber eyes

 **Bumblepelt** \- gray tabby tom with yellow eyes

 **Cliffclaw** \- dark brown mottled tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Pricklenose** \- brown and white she-cat with amber eyes

 **Rainpool** \- silver gray she-cat with amber eyes

 **Leafwind** \- brown and ginger tom with green eyes

 **Dustwhisker** \- light brown and ginger tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICES:

 **Lunepaw** \- gray and white she-cat with amber eyes

 **Mistypaw** \- gray she-cat with amber eyes

QUEENS:

 **Spottedmist** \- golden brown she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Pebblekit, Wingkit, and Bramblekit by Mallowstalk

 **Sagewind** \- gray and white she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Sunkit, Scorchkit and Honeykit by Blazestrike

 **Whiteberry** \- white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Shadowkit, Talonkit, Ivykit and Petalkit by Waspfang

ELDERS:

 **Hazelfur** \- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Blackstripe** \- gray tom with a black stripe running along his back

KITS:

 **Pebblekit** \- light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Wingkit** \- dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Bramblekit** \- golden brown tom with amber eyes

 **Sunkit** \- golden and ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Scorchkit** \- gray and ginger tom with amber eyes

 **Honeykit** \- golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes, has a tinge of red mixed in her fur

 **Shadowkit** \- smoky gray tom with green eyes

 **Talonkit** \- gray and black tom with amber eyes

 **Ivykit** \- gray and black she-cat with green eyes

 **Petalkit** \- gray she-cat with green eyes


	2. Chapter One

" _Did you want me to change? Well I changed for good And I want you to know. That you'll always get your way I wanted to say..._ " - Shiver, Coldplay

 **CHAPTER ONE**

The warmth of newleaf brought a fresh breath of life to the forest. Birdsong filled the air. Prey scurried about in the undergrowth, searching for food or mates. It was a peaceful time in the forest. Life couldn't be better for the Clan as they itched to stretch out their legs and patrol the borders. With such a difficult leafbare life had finally started looking up when the snow started melting.

Honeykit brushed her muzzle forward, expecting to feel the warmth of her mother's belly. She blinked her eyes open when she realized that mother wasn't in the nursery. She looked around and saw that her siblings were gone as well. Honeykit sat back and looked down at her paws, wondering if it was better to stay in the nursery or venture outside. She had never gone outside without mother watching closely. Mother always watched her kits, ever since father had died.

"It's okay, you're mother just went to get some fresh-kill." Honeykit looked at the speaker, and turned to see Whiteberry looking down at her sympathetically. "You're... Honeykit, right?" Honeykit just nodded in response. Whiteberry looked startled when she saw something in Honeykit's eyes. But the moment didn't last long as she swept her tail around her kits. "Why don't you join me, at least until your mother gets back."

For a moment Honeykit was tempted to stay where she was. But the temptation of warmth was almost too much. She glanced over her shoulder warily before trotting over to Whiteberry on unsteady paws. It was still difficult getting used to walking. At four moons old she should be able to move around with ease like her brothers. But something had happened that made her 'develop' slower, as her mother had tried explaining. Honeykit didn't know what that meant, but she knew it couldn't be anything good.

"There we go," Whiteberry purred as Honeykit tumbled into her nest. Shadowkit let out a squeal as Honeykit almost bumped into him. She wanted to apologize, but Whiteberry stopped her. "It wasn't your fault... you'll just have to be a little more careful," Whiteberry reassured her.

Honeykit nodded and thought about the way her mother had left her to go out with Sunkit and Scorchkit. They were the same age, and yet mother seemed to let them go out more than her. Honeykit sighed at the thought and wondered if there was something wrong with her. Maybe that was why mother didn't want to see her.

"Why doesn't mother like me?" she finally asked out loud. Whiteberry stared at her as if she was shocked by such a question. It took a moment for her to answer.

"Your mother doesn't hate you," Whiteberry replied. "I think... you just remind her so much of your father. She still misses him."

"Oh." Honeykit looked down at her paws, suddenly feeling ashamed of thinking such thoughts. Of course her mother loved her. Sagewind loved them all. "Can you tell me a story about him? About what he was like?" she suddenly asked. Whiteberry looked at her in shock once again before taking a deep breath.

"Your father was very brave," she began. "He fought in many battles and came back victorious. But there was one battle that he could not win... and he paid the price for that mistake. He loved you very much, and gave his life to protect you."

Honeykit found herself picturing what her father might look like. She had faint memories of his appearance. A ginger and white pelt. Warm green eyes looking back at her with love. She remembered the way her mother used to look at her that way. What had changed?

"What do you think are you doing?" Honeykit's eyes widened at the sound of mother's voice. Sagewind stood at the entrance of the nursery, with Sunkit and Scorchkit at her paws. "I didn't ask for you to leave the nest," she scolded.

"I did." Anger sounded in Whiteberry's voice. "She's old enough to go outside with her brothers."

She didn't miss the exchange between Whiteberry and Sagewind. Spottedmist was outside the nursery, since her kits were almost six moons old. Honeykit was thankful for that. She wasn't sure what had happened to make them dislike one another so much.

"She is also weaker than her brothers," Sagewind snapped. "She doesn't leave the nursery unless I say so."

With that being said, Sagewind left the nursery and guided Sunkit and Scorchkit away. Honeykit looked down at her paws shamefully. Her own mother wanted nothing to do with her. She glanced uncertainly at Whiteberry, but the white she-cat was still glaring after Sagewind.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the leader's rock for a Clan meeting!" Honeykit's ears pricked forward when she heard Tinystar's voice. She had met Tinystar once when her eyes had first opened. The leader seemed fair and kind.

"I want to see the ceremony!" Honeykit squealed.

She ignored Whiteberry's protest and struggled to climb out of the nursery. It took a few heartbeats, but Honeykit managed to find her way out of the nest and towards the nursery entrance. She blinked a few times against the harsh sunlight that greeted her.

"By naming apprentices we show that the Clan will remain strong..." Honeykit tried standing on her hind paws to see. She squealed once again and tumbled forward, bumping into Spottedmist in the process.

"Watch what your doing, kit," Spottedmist hissed.

"But I want to see the ceremony!" Honeykit insisted.

"You aren't an apprentice, or a warrior, so back off." Honeykit's ears flattened with annoyance when she saw her mother sitting outside along with Sunkit and Scorchkit. Why were they allowed to see the ceremony while she wasn't? None of it made any sense.

"Don't mind them," Whiteberry murmured, catching what Spottedmist had told her. Honeykit glanced at Whiteberry nervously. "Spottedmist is just worried about her kits becoming apprentices. It won't be long before you join them."

Honeykit stifled a purr of excitement at the thought. She couldn't wait to explore the camp and see the territory for the first time. Her mother didn't let her out of the nursery often enough. Soon she would prove that mother was wrong about her. That she was stronger than she looked.

She tumbled into mother's nest and curled up as sleep suddenly took over. Maybe tomorrow she could slip out of the nursery unnoticed. Mother wouldn't mind too much. Either way, Honeykit wasn't going to let her mother slow her down.

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 **AN: These first couple of chapters will be shorter, but I plan on making them longer as time goes on. And wow, five reviews already! You guys really are amazing :)**

 **HalfSun - Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying it so much :)**

 **ThePaintedKittyKat - Thanks!**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Thanks, I'll be sure to put in Spiderfrost. And I could always use more OCs, they are appreciated and will be added in :)**

 **badguthrie - Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it so far :) Hopefully it will be as good as I Promise...**

 **Flamepelt the Cat - Me too!**


	3. Chapter Two

" _The lights go out and I can't be saved, Tides that I tried to swim against Have brought me down upon my knees, Oh I beg, I beg and plead, singing..._ " - Clocks, Coldplay

 **CHAPTER TWO**

A purr rose in Honeykit's throat as she rolled around on the dusty ground. It felt good to just stretch out and do nothing for a while. The birds were singing like always in the middle of newleaf. Honeykit stood up after getting her pelt all messy and full of dirt and moss. She tried shaking off the scraps but failed miserably.

"You look like a weed," Scorchkit mewed as he padded over to join her. Honeykit's ears flattened when she met his stare. "Don't worry, I'll help you clean up before mother sees."

Embarrassment washed over Honeykit as she imagined what mother would say to her appearance. Lately Sagewind only seemed to care about the way her kits looked. Honeykit was her least favorite because of that. She always got herself into trouble by somehow getting her pelt messed up, from either rolling in the mud of tripping over her own paws.

It had been a moon since Spottedmist's kits became apprentices. Since than Honeykit had made it her personal goal to get over whatever weakness had taken over her legs. In the last couple of weeks she had gotten stronger. Scorchkit always encouraged her, while Sunkit just followed in mother's pawsteps.

"You're slow as a badger, and smell like one too," Sunkit snorted as he stalked past them. Honeykit narrowed her eyes when he brushed past her, nearly knocking her over. She hated being treated like this, but there wasn't much she could do to fight back.

"Don't listen to him," Scorchkit growled once Sunkit was gone. "He's got bees in his brain."

"He's right," Honeykit whispered. She looked down at her paws as shame crawled through her once again. "Why can't I run like you two? Why am I so much slower?"

"I don't know," Scorchkit admitted. "Let's try something, you can chase after me and see if you can catch me."

Worry clouded Honeykit's thoughts. She wasn't sure if chasing after her brother was such a good idea. Mother didn't like the idea of kits playing outside the nursery. She thought it looked bad in her part, because she wasn't watching over them like she should be.

 _A little game of chase wouldn't hurt_ , she reminded herself. Honeykit let out a purr of agreement before bounding after her brother, who kept at least a fox-length ahead of her. She struggled to keep up with Scorchkit, and, despite her earlier fears, managed to catch up with him.

Scorchkit whirled around in time for her to pounce on him. Amusement showed in his eyes when she pushed him to the ground, showing just how much she had grown over the last couple of moons.

"I win!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

"Okay, get off me you big furball," Scorchkit muttered. Honeykit suppressed another purr as he pushed her off. It wasn't harsh like when Sunkit had tried hurting her during a Clan meeting. Instead Scorchkit was always gentle and kind towards her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Once again, Sagewind had caught them playing outside the nursery. Honeykit stiffened under her piercing gaze as mother trotted towards them, tail lashing from side to side. "What have I told you about playing near the fresh-kill pile?" she demanded, looking sternly at them both. But Honeykit knew her gaze was fixated on her.

"We were only playing a game of chase," Scorchkit snapped indignantly. "Why aren't we allowed to play? What's wrong with that?"

"You are too young to understand," Sagewind sighed with a shake of her head. She gave Scorchkit a gentle lick between the ears. "Go along and wash yourself, your pelt is filthy."

Scorchkit nodded and did as he was told without hesitation. Honeykit remained where she was, meeting her mother's glare as Sagewind finally looked down at her.

"Are you going to blame me for this?" Honeykit suddenly asked. Sagewind only looked at her in confusion before suddenly cuffing her over the ears. Honeykit ducked her head as anger churned within her when she realized Sagewind wouldn't speak to her.

The gray and white queen gave one flick of her tail before slipping into the nursery along with Whiteberry. Honeykit watched them, her heart feeling heavier than usual. Whether she went back with them or not, mother would never accept her into the family.

"Hey, why don't you give Hazelfur a mouse, I'm sure she'll be willing to tell you a story." Honeykit flinched in surprise when she heard Lunepaw speak up. The gray and white apprentice was friendly as far as apprentices were concerned. But she rarely spoke to Honeykit unless there was a motive behind it. "I promised Nightfur that I would, but there's something I need to do first... it might take all day," Lunepaw explained when she noticed Honeykit's confusion.

Honeykit looked over at the elder's den warily. It was just past the honeysuckle bush. Camp itself was surrounded by tall pine trees, and the nursery was placed between the warrior's den and the apprentice's den. Just beyond that was the leader's den, which happened to be a large hollowed out rock in the center of the clearing.

"Okay," Honeykit decided after thinking over Lunepaw's plan. It didn't make sense, but at least she could stay outside the nursery longer.

She padded over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed a plump looking mouse. It was big enough to hold her down, but Honeykit held her head high despite that. She didn't miss the amused stares of Clanmates as she marched purposely past them.

"Is that mouse I smell?" a tom's voice greeted her the moment she had reached the elder's den.

Honeykit's ears flattened at the sound of Blackstripe's voice. He wasn't the friendliest cat in the Clan, in fact, he made Sagewind look good. Honeykit finally dropped her mouse at her paws and glared at him defiantly.

"It's for Hazelfur, not you," she snapped.

"A kit should not speak to their elder like this, especially a kit like _you_ ," Blackstripe sneered, shocked that she would speak to him like that. Honeykit met his glare with one of her own. To her relief, it wasn't long before Hazelfur stepped out of the den and shoved Blackstripe to the side.

"Thank you," she purred after accepting the mouse. "I was expecting to find Lunepaw here. I assume she came up with the usual excuse?" Honeykit only nodded in response. Hazelfur only sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. "Lunepaw is very much like her mother... I wish Tinystar would see that."

Honeykit couldn't help but nod in agreement. She often thought it was odd how Tinystar had kits, but never treated them as such. Lunepaw would often remind everyone just who's kit she was, but Mistypaw, her sister, was the complete opposite. In fact, Mistypaw was probably one of the nicest cats anyone could get to know.

"Well than, perhaps you would like to hear a story?" Hazelfur suddenly asked after taking a bite of her mouse. Honeykit's eyes glowed with excitement at the prospect of hearing another story. "Alright, how about how the Clans started," she suggested. "Now, this happened long before anyone alive today now was born. The Clans have been around for many, many generations. But the three cats who formed them were all siblings. Pine, Tree and Flower. They all got along and treated one another with deep respect."

Honeykit imagined what it must have been like back than. She pictured three young cats living together like siblings, loving one another and caring for one another. It was like it should always be in a Clan.

"But something had changed in a matter of moons... Tree wanted more power for himself. So he started building a group that would one day tear apart Pine and Flower. He was afraid they would turn on him, kill him for territory of their own. When they saw what he was doing, they each gathered cats of their own and formed their own group. Eventually, they started fighting over territory. Some of the fights ended with little more than words. But some battles ended in tragedy.

"One such battle ended in so much bloodshed, that it is said no life can survive there even today. No one dares go there, for fear the spirits of those who were cruelly murdered will attack them. Pine and Flower came up with an idea to prevent any other battles like that one from happening. They were the first to create Clans, and eventually, Tree followed their idea. This is how PineClan, TreeClan and FlowerClan were formed."

Amazement gleamed within Honeykit's eyes. She had never heard the tale of how the Clans were first formed. She wondered how much of it was true, and if they really were siblings like the stories claimed. Hazelfur was finished with her mouse now, and grooming her whiskers while Blackstripe muttered something under his breath about not getting enough to eat.

"Is it true, that they were siblings?" Honeykit asked.

"Well, some say that Tree and Pine were brothers," Hazelfur meowed. "Others think they were all just loners who wanted a better life. The story has been passed down so many generations, it is difficult to keep track of what is true or not."

She nodded in understanding after realizing that Hazelfur was probably right. Than she looked at Blackstripe after noticing he looked grumpier than usual.

"I'll get you a mouse if you want one," she declared.

Blackstripe looked at Honeykit in surprise, but she didn't give him any time to argue. She bounded back over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed one more mouse before returning to the elder's den. By the time she'd gotten back her legs were burning with exhaustion. She wasn't used to running around so much.

"You are an odd little kit," Blackstripe meowed after thanking her for the mouse.

"That's not always a bad thing," Hazelfur remarked. "Remember how her father was."

Again, Blackstripe muttered something under his breath that Honeykit didn't catch. Her ears pricked forward with curiosity at the mention of her father. She desperately wanted to know more about him, but every time she had asked, everyone would just clam up and keep their mouths shut. She couldn't understand why, or what had caused them to forget him so suddenly.

 _I remember what he looks like_ , she reminded herself as she padded away from the elder's den. She could never forget that. Or the fact that he had always been more caring for her than mother would ever be. _I hope we can see each other again_.

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 **AN: Yay for longer chapters! So this one was a bit exciting, and you get to learn about how the Clans were first formed... So I probably won't be updating until I get at least four reviews for this chapter, just to warn everyone ;)**

 **badguthrie - Awe, thank you! I appreciate your feedback :)**

 **Flamepelt the Cat - Oh, don't worry, she gets better... *hint, hint, wink wink***

 **Apple pie - Thanks for submitting your OCs, I'm adding them right away!**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Thanks for submitting your OCs! I've added them to the alliances already. And I think I'm good for now for the OCs list, I've got a lot to work with now :)**


	4. Chapter Three

" _Play the bugle, play the taps and, Make your mothers proud, Raise your rifles to the sky boys Fire that volley loud..._ " - Charlie Boy, The Lumineers

 **CHAPTER THREE**

"We're going to see the Red Valley," Sunkit declared.

"You're mousebrained," Scorchkit snapped. "Don't you know what happens when cats go there?"

"We're going, I want to see at least part of the territory before we become apprentices," Sunkit retorted.

Scorchkit looked like he was going to argue some more when he thought better of it. Once Sunkit's mind was made up, there was no changing it. Honeykit watched her brothers with interest as she listened to them argue.

She had heard about the Red Valley. It was where the first battle had taken place, where so many cats had died and bled out that the valley was stained red with their blood. It was rumored their spirits still roamed the valley.

"Can I go with you?" she asked. Sunkit only rolled his eyes in annoyance while Scorchkit shook his head.

"You'll only slow us down," Sunkit scoffed.

"No I won't," she hissed. "And if you don't let me go, I'll tell mother where you went. She'll be mad at you."

It was a lame excuse, but at least that seemed to stop Sunkit from keeping her here. He let out a sigh of frustration before lashing his tail.

"Fine, but you better not complain along the way," he growled.

Honeykit held back a tiny skip of excitement. She was going to explore the forest! Before she was an apprentice! That thought alone was enough to give her a spark of hope. Maybe Sunkit would finally see that she wasn't as weak as he thought.

She padded after her brothers after they carefully slipped past the guards at the camp entrance. It was a protective barrier of thorns, but there was one spot where they could slip through. Once they were bigger, it would get more difficult to sneak past them. But for now it was the perfect place to escape.

"Come on Bramblepaw, you have to keep up," she heard Cedarclaw yowl as he ran through the thick undergrowth.

From the stories Mistypaw used to tell them, the forest was covered in thick undergrowth and bushes. The ground underpaw was also covered in pine needles, providing soft padding for anyone who walked on it. To Honeykit's surprise, Mistypaw had been right. It took Honeykit a few heartbeats to get used to the feeling of pine needles under her paws.

The three kits started moving in and out of the bushes for cover. Any patrol wandering through here would find it obvious that they were around. But their pelts blended in well with their surroundings. Honeykit was the first to notice this when she looked at the leaves that were beginning to grow back.

"Cedarclaw's not too smart, is he?" Sunkit sneered. Honeykit only rolled her eyes in response. He wasn't much better. At least Cedarclaw had some sense.

Luckily Sunkit didn't say anything else. They marched on in silence, climbing over rocky terrain to reach their destination. Honeykit had never seen what the territory looked like outside camp. She was amazed at how _tall_ the trees looked. They seemed to reach on forever. When she looked around she saw what looked like an abandoned den nearby, and it had a weird stink to it.

 _Didn't Whiteberry say that badgers smell really bad_? she wondered.

She shook her head at the thought, deciding it wasn't really something she should think about. Instead she struggled to keep up with her brothers, who were caught up in their own excitement. This was, after all, their first adventure together in the forest.

Honeykit tried to take in everything at once as they passed by a swollen stream. Heavy rain had fallen recently, resulting in this stream. It ran along the forest and into a small pond where sometimes fish were caught. Honeykit preferred warm prey over fish any day. But if times were difficult, the Clan could always resort to the pond instead.

"You said that you could keep up!" she heard Sunkit call. Honeykit turned and saw that he was well ahead of everyone else, standing on top of a large boulder. She felt her hackles rise slightly as she bounded towards him, ignoring the pain stabbing in her chest.

She crawled over the large boulders and eventually made her way through a patch of ferns to reach her brothers. They were standing on the edge of a wide clearing overlooking something in the distance. And Honeykit finally saw what they were gawking at.

Her eyes widened in amazement when she saw a huge valley in front of them. No trees grew along the valley floor. The grass almost looked red, just like in the stories. Honeykit squinted her eyes and realized there were no signs of prey in the area. It really was just like the stories had said.

"Hey, I dare you to go out there," Sunkit said, nudging her hard with his shoulder.

"No, we shouldn't be here," Scorchkit growled. "This place... I don't like it."

"What, are you scared the 'spirit cats' will attack you?" Sunkit asked with a roll of his eyes. "Come on, stop acting like a wimp and actually do something courageous for once."

"There's a difference between acting brave and acting stupid," Scorchkit snapped. "And I'm neither."

He bowed his head and started to turn back. Honeykit's eyes fell upon the valley once more. Part of her wanted to go there and see if the stories about the spirit cats were true. If they really would attack her if she ventured any closer.

Suddenly she felt someone push her forward. Honeykit let out a wail of surprise as she went tumbling towards the valley. She heard Scorchkit's yowl of frustration as he charged after her, but by than it was too late. She found herself landing straight in the field of red grass.

 _No, I don't want to be here_! Honeykit thought as she whirled around and tried to get back to her paws. She could already picture blood-thirsty cats surrounding her. This was no place for a kit, especially one who could barely walk properly.

A low growl sounded from nearby. Honeykit's eyes widened in horror when she saw a huge black and white creature lumbering towards her. She let out another desperate wail, hopeful that someone would hear her. She'd heard enough stories to know what badgers looked like, and this creature was no different from those stories.

"Leave her alone!" Honeykit's eyes widened once again at the sound of Scorchkit's voice. She turned just in time to see him flying at the badger, dragging his claws across the creature's muzzle. It shook him off with ease and threw him to the ground in a sickening thud.

"Scorchkit!" Honeykit wailed once again as she struggled to reach her brother's side. He lay motionless in the ground, and for a moment Honeykit hoped that he was just stunned. The badger was lumbering towards them, and Honeykit braced herself for what would follow when it reached them.

"Get away from those kits!" a new voice suddenly yowled. Honeykit blinked as a dark brown tom with a long scar running down his shoulder lunged at the badger. A dark gray tabby tom stood beside him, fur standing on end as the badger swung around and turned on them. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size, you old brute?" the dark brown tom sneered.

Honeykit watched on in amazement as the two toms fought side-by-side, keeping the badger from getting any closer to her or Scorchkit. Eventually the badger let out a snarl of frustration before leaving them behind. Relief washed over Honeykit when she realized that it was over. She turned towards Scorchkit, and her relief was replaced with horror when she realized he wasn't waking up.

"Scorchkit?" she whispered, her heart beating rapidly as she prayed he woke up. "Scorchkit, don't leave me!"

"He's gone," the dark gray tabby murmured. "Badger must've thrown him off hard enough..."

Honeykit didn't hear the rest. She closed her eyes as pain stabbed in her chest. Her brother, the only one who had cared for her, was gone. And it was all her fault.

"Come on, which Clan are you from?" the dark brown tom asked.

"PineClan," she answered automatically.

The two toms exchanged looks of surprise. "That's a long way from here, how did you manage to reach this place on your own?" the dark gray tabby asked.

She didn't answer. Honeykit just stared down at her paws as shame and grief washed over. She wasn't going to forgive herself for what had happened to Scorchkit. She should have let the badger take her instead. At least Scorchkit had a happy life in the Clan.

...

The journey back to camp was painfully long. Neither tom had seen Sunkit along the way. Honeykit just assumed that he fled when the badger showed itself. But when she saw him sitting under mother's paws, she realized that he'd returned back to camp. She threw him a glare that would have sent any other cat running.

"Jaggedclaw, Thunderwing, what brings you to our camp?" Tinystar was the first to greet them, only to stare in shock at the sight of Scorchkit's body dangling limply from Jaggedclaw's teeth.

"They must have gotten away from you while you weren't looking," Thunderwing explained. "We found them in the Red Valley when a badger attacked them. Poor kit died a quick and painless death, at least."

"Scorchkit, why did they have to take you away?" Sagewind wailed as she ran towards them.

"And you just happened to be conveniently there at the time," Tinystar growled.

Thunderwing didn't respond. Jaggedclaw gently placed Scorchkit's body on the ground for Sagewind to pick up. He seemed so tiny compared to mother now. Honeykit couldn't meet her mother's glare when she finally looked at her.

"This is all your fault!" Sagewind wailed. "None of this would have happened if you hadn't asked them to go out!"

Honeykit stared at her mother in disbelief when she realized Sagewind was blaming her.

"It wasn't my idea!" she snapped. "Sunkit wanted to go out and see the—" Sagewind cut her off.

"Sunkit would never do such a thing," she hissed. "Sunkit is... Sunkit is _perfect_."

Silence followed. Tinystar let out a tiny cough to break the silence, and shooed the FlowerClan cats away. Once they were gone, Tinystar shot Sagewind a scornful look.

"If your kit is the description of perfect, than StarClan help us all," she muttered crossly.

Sagewind tightened her jaw, ready to argue some more when she thought better of it. Instead, she picked up Scorchkit's body and carried him out of camp. Honeykit watched on in despair, wishing there was something more she could have done to stop this from happening.

"It should have been you," Sunkit sneered before leaving them.

"Honeykit, don't listen to them," Tinystar meowed, noticing the look in Honeykit's eyes.

Honeykit barely heard. Her mind was still whirling with thoughts of what just happened. She remembered feeling someone push her. That someone had to have been Sunkit. He was the only other one who would have done such a thing.

 _That coward is going to pay for what he did_ , she promised as she glared at Sunkit once again. _I won't let you get away for murdering your own brother_.

* * *

 **AN: I thought that song was fitting for this chapter. If you haven't heard it, I highly recommend it. Anywho, I didn't get the four reviews like I was hoping :( So I'll ask one more time before this goes on temporary hiatus until I get some more feedback on whether or not I should continue.**

 **badguthrie - Thanks, it's always fun writing about how the Clans were formed XD**

 **Berrysplash - Thanks for submitting your OCs, but unfortunately I've already made up the alliances /: Maybe I could squeeze them in somehow later in the story as kits?**


	5. Chapter Four

" _You'll last two seconds out there, less in those ridiculous shoes_!" - Chris Pratt, Jurassic World

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

"This is all your fault!"

"It should have been you."

Words continued haunting Honeykit as she struggled to sleep. Sagewind had refused to let her anywhere near the nursery. In the end, it was Whiteberry who let her inside and sleep with her kits. Whiteberry had been furious when Sagewind refused. But Honeykit didn't want things to go from bad to worse between them. She insisted that Whiteberry not say anything. She could handle her mother just like she handled Sunkit.

Yet that didn't stop the nightmares from happening. Twice she had woken up in the middle of the night, crying out at the sight of her brother's broken body. Whiteberry had tried comforting her, but they weren't enough. Now Honeykit was almost afraid to sleep, especially when she continued hearing what Sagewind and Sunkit had said.

It was early in the morning when Honeykit found herself watching Whiteberry's kits play. They were playing a game she and Scorchkit used to play.

"TreeClan is invading!" Talonkit yowled.

"Get the FlowerClan leader!" Petalkit cried.

The whole thing was really amusing to Honeykit. Petalkit was so much smaller compared to Talonkit. But she managed to keep him at bay with speed. And that frustrated him to no end. She remembered how Scorchkit would slow down so that she could keep up with him.

"Let all cats old enough gather around the leader's den for a Clan meeting!" Honeykit's ears pricked forward at the sound of Tinystar's voice.

Today was finally the day! She had always imagined what her apprentice ceremony would be like. She only wished that Scorchkit could be here with her. Instead she was stuck with Sunkit, who seemed less than excited to be standing there.

"Sunkit and Honeykit have reached their six moons today," Tinystar began. She was ready to speak again when Sagewind suddenly stopped her by standing next to Sunkit.

"Excuse me, but I don't think Honeykit is ready to be an apprentice," Sagewind called out. "She can barely run let alone keep up with any mentor you give her."

Honeykit's ears flattened in embarrassment when she realized that some cats agreed with her mother. Tinystar only rolled her eyes in annoyance before looking back at Honeykit.

"She is more than ready," Tinystar snapped. "Honeykit, Sunkit, step forward." Sagewind let out a huff of frustration and sat back. Honeykit threw her a triumphant look before meeting her leader's gaze. "Sunkit, from this moment on you will be known as Sunpaw. Cliffclaw, you were mentored by Blazestrike, and turned into a fine and loyal warrior. I expect you to pass on your knowledge to Sunpaw."

 _Lucky furball_ , Honeykit thought. Cliffclaw probably knew their father well. That gave Sunpaw an advantage she would never have.

"Honeykit, from this moment on you will be known as Honeypaw. I shall be your mentor."

Honeypaw stared at Tinystar in disbelief. Was she being serious? She looked at Tinystar and realized that she was.

"Tinystar, are you sure about this?" She heard Lightfeather ask.

The tortoiseshell and white she-cat was sitting between Sagewind and Spottedmist. It was no secret that she was best friends with Sagewind. Honeypaw wouldn't be surprised if the two of them agreed with whatever Sagewind told her.

"My decision is made clear, and if you have anything to say against it, you can say it right now," Tinystar growled irritably.

Relief washed over Honeypaw when she realized they were done arguing, for now. The last thing she wanted was to cause a rift within the Clan. Tinystar already seemed to know how to handle things pretty well, but Honeypaw wasn't sure how long that would last.

"Sunpaw! Honeypaw!" the Clan cheered. Honeypaw resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she realized half the Clan refused to say her name.

 _They can do whatever they want, it doesn't change a thing_ , she reminded herself.

"What are we doing first?" asked Honeypaw as she looked at her leader anxiously.

"I'd say we can explore the territory," Tinystar replied after jumping down from the leader's den. "If you're up to it."

 _My legs aren't slowing me down this time_! Honeypaw vowed silently.

"I'm more than up to it!" she exclaimed.

She didn't miss the look of amusement flashing in Tinystar's eyes. The small gray she-cat gave a flick of her tail before leading the way out of camp. Honeypaw looked over her shoulder and saw that Cliffclaw was talking quietly to Sunpaw. Her eyes narrowed into slits when she saw how annoyed Sunpaw looked.

The moment they were outside the camp, Honeypaw felt her chest heaving with effort. She bounded after Tinystar to keep up. The PineClan leader was surprisingly fast despite her smaller size. Tinystar looked over her shoulder to make sure that Honeypaw was keeping up.

"Let me know if you have to stop and rest," Tinystar called after her.

Honeypaw ignored her and continued running. Finally Tinystar stopped beside what looked like a hue fallen tree. Honeypaw eyed the tree curiously, noticing the fronds of ferns that touched the trunk. Moss covered the base, and the roots were almost rotted off.

"What is this?" Honeypaw asked in amazement. Tinystar just flicked her tail across Honeypaw's ears and jumped onto the tree.

"It's the fallen oak," Tinystar explained. "This is where hunting is easiest; lots of prey is found around here."

"Cool, can I catch a mouse?" Honeypaw could have sworn she heard tiny paws scrambling over the pine needles.

"For now, we're just going to take it easy," Tinystar replied. She turned her attention towards a path leading deeper into the forest. "Over there is the training area," she explained. "We'll be going there later today."

Excitement surged through Honeypaw at the thought of battle training. She'd wanted to do something like this for moons. Sagewind had never let her practice in the nursery along with Sunpaw. She always said that Honeypaw was too weak to keep up with him.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the territory. Honeypaw found herself zoning out for the most part. Tinystar had shown her the field of flowers that marked the border to FlowerClan. Than she showed her an area where two streams met each other. That marked the border between TreeClan and PineClan. Beyond that was the Red Valley. By the time they were finished, Honeypaw was exhausted.

Her chest was throbbing with pain as she reached the training area where they had been earlier. The clearing was bigger than she expected, covered in pine needles and loose soil. Honeypaw could tell that apprentices and mentors had been here moments before.

"Oh, I was planning on training with Pebblepaw today." Honeypaw flinched at the sound of Bumblepelt's voice. The gray tabby tom looked at her with narrowed eyes before flicking his tail at Pebblepaw, who stood not far away.

"You can join us," Tinystar suggested. "I'm sure that this will be a good learning opportunity for them both."

The two cats exchanged looks before Bumblepelt just shrugged. Honeypaw's ears flattened as she wondered just what Bumblepelt had planned for her. She already imagined he wasn't here to just train with her.

"Alright, let's see what you're capable of," Bumblepelt meowed.

For a moment, Honeypaw was confused as to what they had in mind. She glanced at Tinystar warily before meeting Pebblepaw's eyes. Suddenly the light brown tabby tom launched himself at her. Honeypaw hardly had time to react as he pinned her to the ground, batting at her muzzle and ears with ease. Honeypaw held back a hiss of frustration as she kicked back with her legs, pushing the larger apprentice off.

"You should know better than to turn your back on the enemy," Pebblepaw sneered.

"And _you_ should know when to keep your big mouth shut!" Honeypaw shot back.

She found herself pouncing on Pebblepaw when he wasn't prepared. His eyes widened in shock when she tumbled into him. She made sure her claws were kept sheathed, but determination made her wish otherwise.

"Get off of me!" Pebblepaw yowled as he tried kicking her off. Honeypaw held on for dear life, ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest. She looked down at Pebblepaw in triumph when he finally gave up.

"I'd say that was a good victory," Tinystar purred after Honeypaw hopped off of him. But Honeypaw couldn't say anything after that. Her head was throbbing now as she sat down beside Pebblepaw.

 _Why do I keep feeling this pain_? she wondered. Bumblepelt frowned when he noticed that she was struggling to say anything.

"Honeypaw, are you okay?" he asked. She simply nodded, and Tinystar gave her an anxious look.

"Bumblepelt, Pebblepaw, would you please excuse us?" she suddenly asked. The two toms looked a little annoyed at being excluded from whatever Tinystar was about to say. Luckily they didn't argue. Bumblepelt threw Honeypaw one last look before slipping into the undergrowth with Pebblepaw not far behind. "Honeypaw, just take a deep breath and exhale slowly," Tinystar told her.

Honeypaw looked at her new mentor warily before doing as she was told. She sucked in a deep breath, her chest throbbing as she did so. But as she breathed out once more, she realized that it no longer hurt like she was expecting.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," she said out loud. Tinystar nodded and looked down at her curiously.

"I was like you when I was your age," she explained. "Most cats didn't expect me to get anywhere with my breathing problems. But I managed to find a way past them." Honeypaw stared at her mentor in amazement. "I know that the path to becoming a warrior will be difficult, especially when everyone expects you to fail. But I won't let that happen. You're stronger than you think."

For once, Honeypaw didn't argue. She couldn't help but feel a small spark of hope as she realized that Tinystar was right. She had a future to look forward to. And that was more than she could ask for from StarClan.

* * *

 **AN: I can't possibly be the only one who laughed at that line XD She never did take off those shoes. Anywho, I hope everyone liked this chapter :) And don't worry, it isn't going on hiatus. Thanks to everyone who was concerned about that though :)**

 **Frost On Gentle Willow - Oh, don't worry, you're not the only one who does. And yep, life is just peachy XD**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - It's okay, I understand :) Thanks for reviewing today! And yeah, poor Scorchkit had to suffer because of his brother's selfishness. And there is a reason behind Sagewind not liking Honeypaw, but I won't be explaining this until the end of the story :)**

 **badguthrie - It's okay, darn school always seems to get in the way XD And lol, Sagewind is pretty much a replica of Rainflower... though she isn't nearly as bad. She didn't change Honeypaw's name... yet :P**

 **Berrysplash - XD I think you might have reviewed the chapter twice ;) But yeah, I will probably add them as kits later on... do you mind if I change Pebble's name though? I've got at least two Pebbles in the alliances already.**


	6. Chapter Five

" _Carry around the secrets, Only heaven knows Crawl into our darkened rooms where only victims gom Though I feel I'm strong enough to carry all this load I'm not able..._ " - Able, NEEDTOBREATHE

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

It was early in the morning when Honeypaw woke up again. She found herself laying in a nest outside the apprentice's den. According to the other apprentices, there was no room left for her, even though they found a nest for Sunpaw. She didn't bother arguing at the time. If they wanted to prove anything, they were more than welcome to. She wasn't going to waste her time with them.

"What are you doing outside the apprentice's den?" Honeypaw flinched at the sound of Nightfur's voice. The black she-cat's eyes were narrowed as she looked down at Honeypaw.

"They thought it would be funny to let me spend the night outside," she muttered crossly.

Nightfur looked back at the apprentice's den, as if wondering if Honeypaw was telling the truth.

"There's plenty of room in the den," Nightfur retorted.

"Don't tell them to stop, please," Honeypaw suddenly murmured. Nightfur looked at Honeypaw in surprise. "If you say anything, it'll just make things worse."

Nightfur looked at her doubtfully, but than shook her head in annoyance. She called for Lunepaw, and heartbeats later, the gray and white apprentice bounded out of the den, nearly knocking Honeypaw over in the process. Honeypaw held back a hiss of frustration, knowing that fighting her would only end in disaster.

 _Why can't they just see me as their equal_? she wondered. _I'm just as good as the rest of them_.

She closed her eyes at the thought. If things had been different, if her father was alive, than maybe this wouldn't be happening. She could already imagine he wouldn't let them get away with treating her like mousedung.

With that thought in mind, she decided to grab a mouse from the fresh-kill pile before the others woke up. Rainpool and Pricklenose were busy chatting like sparrows, ignoring her presence as she approached.

"...Rogues spotted at the edge of Clan territory," Rainpool was whispering. "One of them looked a bit too familiar for my liking."

"And knowing Tinystar, she won't do anything to stop them," Pricklenose muttered crossly. "I don't know how she thinks it's okay to let them trespass, and FlowerClan for that matter! What were they doing on the territory when they found those kits?"

A shiver ran through Honeypaw as she heard them argue. She had never thought about it at the time. Those two toms who rescued her, they shouldn't have been there in the first place. The Red Valley ran right through PineClan territory. None of made sense.

"What are you doing here?" Rainpool suddenly demanded, glaring down at Honeypaw. "This is no place for an apprentice."

Honeypaw flinched from her scornful glare, bowed her head and took the mouse before running back to the apprentice's den. Once she caught her breath she was about to take a bite when Wingpaw suddenly grabbed it from underneath her.

"Thanks for the mouse, I love them," Wingpaw purred in a silky tone.

"That was my mouse!" Honeypaw snapped, anger welling up within her.

"Yeah, and you got it for me, so thank you," Wingpaw retorted. Amusement flashed in her amber eyes, and Honeypaw looked back at her resentfully. "Or would you like to fight me for it? I'm sure you could easily beat me in a battle," she jeered on.

Her muscles bunched together as she thought of tackling Wingpaw. She was just about to when she heard Tinystar's yowl from across the clearing. Honeypaw only rolled her eyes and kicked dirt into Wingpaw's face, ignoring the dark brown she-cat's hiss of annoyance.

Tinystar was waiting for her by the camp's entrance, pelt fluffed up against the cool morning air.

"A good run through the forest will help warm us up," she meowed after noticing that Honeypaw was shivering.

It wasn't from the cold though. Honeypaw was angry with herself more than anything else. She shouldn't have let Wingpaw get to her. The other apprentices treated her the same way. But something about the way Wingpaw taunted her had gotten to her.

 _I won't let it happen again_ , she told herself.

They ran through the undergrowth in silence. Ferns whipped past Honeypaw's face as she struggled to keep up with Tinystar. The small she-cat made this look easy. Honeypaw wished there was an easier way to keep up with her, without losing her breath.

Finally Honeypaw had to stop by the time they reached the fallen oak. She gasped for air as her lungs burned from the cold, and exhaustion.

"I can't keep up with you," Honeypaw struggled to say when Tinystar returned to her side.

"Just remember what I told you, Honeypaw," Tinystar murmured. "Take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. Relax, and try not to overwhelm yourself."

 _That's easier said than done_ , she wanted to protest. Honeypaw kept her mouth shut though, knowing that arguing wouldn't get her anywhere. She closed her eyes and tried to relax best as she could. Eventually she found her muscles weren't as tense as they had been. In fact, she was staring at Tinystar with hope when she opened her eyes again.

"I really do feel better," she whispered.

"It takes time to understand what is wrong," Tinystar replied with a nod. "But once you do, nothing will stand in your way. You're going to make a fine warrior."

Honeypaw held back a purr of happiness at those encouraging words. Only Whiteberry had ever said something similar to her. It was good to know that someone else seemed to care about what her future held.

...

It was late by the time they returned from battle training. Honeypaw's shoulders were numb with exhaustion after trying to perform a battle move for what felt like the hundredth time. Tinystar had said that eventually she would improve. But doubt clouded her mind as she wondered if Tinystar was right.

 _I'm not getting anywhere in my training_ , she thought bitterly. _Every time I try something new, it only ends in disaster_.

"Hey, Honeypaw, come over here," Lunepaw suddenly meowed. Honeypaw looked at the gray and white apprentice warily before doing as she was told. Pebblepaw and Wingpaw were with her, and the two of them looked like something was on their mind. "We want to try out some new fighting techniques that our mentors taught us today," she explained. "I thought maybe you would like to join us."

Honeypaw eyed Lunepaw warily, knowing that this wasn't going to end well. Whatever 'training techniques' they had taught them wouldn't do her any good. But saying 'no' would only make her look weak. So Honeypaw raised her chin and nodded in agreement. Lunepaw looked more than pleased with her response.

"Good, let's show her what we've learned," Pebblepaw sneered.

She didn't get the chance to ask what he meant by that. Honeypaw let out a gasp of surprise when she felt someone swipe a claw across her shoulder. She whirled around in time to see Wingpaw move to the side, and Wingpaw was quickly replaced with Pebblepaw. Faster than she could react, he swung his claws across her muzzle, knocking her off of her paws. Lunepaw stood in the background, watching with a gleam in her eyes.

"It's a little game we like to call 'tag'," she purred as Honeypaw struggled back to her paws. Pebblepaw wouldn't let her up though. He held her down and dug his claws into her shoulders, sending jolts of pain through her.

 _Where is everyone_? she wondered as she tried to look around for anyone who might be watching. No one seemed to be around, conveniently. Honeypaw never felt more helpless as she glared at Lunepaw.

"Why do you hate me so much?" she demanded.

"Let's see... for one, you killed your own brother!" Lunepaw spat. "And for another, the leader seems to love you so much. Like you're some kind of savior. Well, I can already tell you that you're not. You're weak, pathetic, and useless."

"And don't bother seeing the medicine cat about those wounds," Wingpaw added in a growl. "We'll know."

Honeypaw squeezed her eyes shut as the apprentices left her laying there, bleeding out. Their purrs of laughter only echoed in her thoughts when they were gone.

She opened her eyes once more to find that camp was buzzing with activity once again. Her heart twisted with anger when she realized they'd done nothing to stop the other apprentices.

 _What did I do to deserve this_? she thought as she struggled back to her paws. Lunepaw's words repeated in her thoughts. Weak... pathetic... useless. They were hateful and full of spite. She should have died instead of Scorchkit. She would have done anything to bring him back and give her own life instead.

Honeypaw looked around warily once again before making up her mind. She was going to leave. If this Clan didn't want her, than maybe the life of a loner would be better suited for her. She shook her head at the thought and limped towards the camp entrance, ignoring the pain that stung in her wounds.

"Honeypaw, where are you going?" She flinched at the sound of Nightfur's voice. Honeypaw turned around to see the black she-cat standing beside Lunepaw, who only looked back at her with innocent eyes. "Lunepaw here wanted to go hunting, and she thought it might be good to bring you along."

"Unless you're too weak to go," Lunepaw added in a sneer. Nightfur shot her a warning look, but didn't scold her.

She only met Lunepaw's gaze defiantly. "Fine, I'll go," she spat.

The three of them quickly left after that. Honeypaw struggled to hide her pain as she followed. Pebblepaw's wounds had hurt the most; he'd clawed at her belly and muzzle where her fur had an orange tint to it. Of course Nightfur wouldn't suspect that she was still bleeding from her wounds.

"Alright, I want each of you to catch at least three pieces of prey," Nightfur explained when they stopped at the fallen oak. "Don't come back until you've done so."

Honeypaw ignored the smirk Lunepaw was giving her. She'd be out here all night. She knew that she wasn't going to pass whatever test Nightfur was giving them.

She went off in a separate direction from Lunepaw, thankful to get away at last. Honeypaw was able to catch her first mouse with ease. It wasn't until she had spotted a blackbird that the real pain started.

Her chest heaved with effort as she struggled to jump as the blackbird spotted her. She desperately wanted to prove that she was more than capable of doing this. Especially if it meant rubbing in her victory to Lunepaw's face. But the moment she reached out with her claws extended, she let out a cry of pain. It felt like her shoulders and chest were on fire.

Honeypaw collapsed on the ground heartbeats later. The blackbird got away with ease, calling out as it did so. She heard a hiss of frustration in the distance, and assumed that Lunepaw had missed whatever prey she was ready to catch.

"What sort of mousebrain alerts the whole forest?" It wasn't Lunepaw. Honeypaw could barely make out the dark gray she-cat bounding through the undergrowth. The stranger came to a skidding halt when she spotted Honeypaw for the first time. "Oh my stars, what happened to you?" she asked, her expression horrified when she caught sight of the blood now staining the grass.

Black spots were beginning to cloud the edge of Honeypaw's vision. The last thing she pictured was the dark gray she-cat gently dragging her body away from the clearing. Honeypaw only prayed that if this was the end, it would end quickly.

* * *

 **AN: Happy Sunday! Watching the newest episode of Ghost Adventures while getting ready for church XD Way to start my morning, especially when our heating isn't working. I also won't be updating until I get at least three or four reviews... that's not asking for too much, is it?**

 **badguthrie - Me too! And you'll have to wait and see if it is :P**

 **Berrysplash - Hehe, it's an easy mistake ;) And that's good to know. Tinystar and Honeypaw do seem to make a good team, don't they? Hopefully Sagewind's friends won't turn on Honeypaw, but you never know...**


	7. Chapter Six

" _Every single tear you cry I've cried, Every single dark and lonely night I've been there I've been scared, You're not alone I feel your hurt..._ " - Hurt, Everfound

 **CHAPTER SIX**

"I found her out in the forest, bleeding out."

"You have to save every cat you see, don't you?"

"I'll try."

"Just make sure she doesn't tell anyone about us, otherwise we're screwed."

"When have I ever let you down?"

Voices echoed in Honeypaw's mind. She didn't recognize any of them, and her first instincts were to get away. But as her eyes slowly opened, Honeypaw found herself in what seemed like a warm, welcoming cave. She looked around warily as she tried to make out where she was exactly.

A dark gray she-cat was seated in the back of the cave, nosing through some bitter-smelling leaves. Honeypaw wrinkled her nose at the scent and wondered for a moment what they were. Then she remembered how Sparrowclaw had brought in herbs to the nursery.

"W-Who are you?" Honeypaw demanded, her voice cracking as if she hadn't used it in days. The she-cat jumped as if she wasn't expecting to hear Honeypaw speak.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you to wake up for a while," the she-cat admitted. "My name is Luna, and I live out here in the forest along with a few other rogues... I hope we didn't scare you."

Honeypaw eyed the she-cat suspiciously. Her voice had a strange accent to it, but she didn't look like a threat. In fact, she seemed perfectly calm despite the situation.

"Where am I?" she finally asked after thinking over the possibilities. Luna closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, sympathy showed within them.

"This place isn't meant for Clan cats," she explained. "When I found you, they wanted to leave you for dead. They said you would be better off."

 _Better off, dead_? Honeypaw's eyes widened in horror at the thought. Then she remembered what Lunepaw had done to her, along with the other apprentices. They had left her badly wounded. She could have died out there on her own. She _should_ have died.

"You should have listened," she growled. Luna's eyes widened in surprise when Honeypaw said that. "I don't deserve to live."

"Your father would say otherwise." Luna's retort made Honeypaw stare at her in utter shock. "He's waiting for you outside. I told him you couldn't have any visitors, at least until you woke up."

Honeypaw struggled to her paws, than ground her teeth together in pain. She had to remember that the apprentices had attacked her. Her wounds might not be fully recovered, especially if they were still fresh. Than another, more fearful thought crossed her mind.

"How long was I out?" she suddenly asked, looking at Luna warily.

"Two days," Luna replied before slipping out of the cave.

 _Two whole days_ , Honeypaw thought. _Does the Clan even know that I'm gone_?

Heartbeats seemed to drag on slowly as Honeypaw stared at nothing but dark cave walls. Luna had mentioned something about her father being here. But he was dead, as far as she knew. How or why would he be living among rogues? She shook her head at the thought. None of this news made any sense to her.

She looked up in surprise at the sound of pawsteps approaching. Honeypaw's eyes widened when she saw a ginger and white tom staring back at her, with bright green eyes. His fur was fluffed up against the cold air, but he didn't seem to care.

"You're alive," he whispered after gazing at her for what felt like moons. Embarrassment washed over Honeypaw, but the moment only lasted for just that. Faster than she could breathe, he rushed forward and suddenly brushed his muzzle against hers. "You're alive!" he repeated.

"Yeah, I'm alive, but I won't be if you keep smothering me," Honeypaw managed to say after catching her breath. The stranger took a step back. "Who are you?" His eyes widened when she asked that, as if she'd struck him with claws.

"I'm your father, Blazestrike," the ginger and white tom replied.

Honeypaw stared at him in astonishment after realizing just who she was talking to. Her astonishment turned to joy a few moments later.

"I-It really is you," she whispered.

But when they brushed muzzles again, Honeypaw realized that he wasn't actually there. She blinked a few times to comprehend what was happening.

"You see, I am technically two pawsteps in the world," her father tried to explain after noticing her confusion. "I live in StarClan, yet I can visit the forest from time to time. Only a few are capable of doing so."

 _Oh... that makes sense_. Honeypaw slowly nodded in understanding after realizing what he meant by that. Her father was actually here, right in front of her, but he technically wasn't.

"Wait, have you seen Scorchkit?" she suddenly asked, her ears pricking forward with hope. Her father only shook his head in response.

"I'm afraid it has been some time since I've visited StarClan," he replied. "I know that it was not your fault. Scorchkit's time was cut too short."

Honeypaw bowed her head in shame as she pictured his broken body laying on the grass. The badger had literally thrown him off. She remembered hearing that sickening thud as he landed on the ground. Her heart felt heavier than ever as she looked down at her paws.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. The world seemed to get smaller with each passing heartbeat. It wasn't until she felt fur brushing against her that she realized Luna had replaced her father's image. The dark gray she-cat blinked at her sympathetically. "W-Where's my father?" she asked.

"Who?" Luna looked at her in confusion. This only made Honeypaw's mind whirl.

"My father, the ginger and white cat who was just here," Honeypaw almost wailed.

"You must have just had a bad daydream," Luna replied. She flicked her tail across Honeypaw's ears, causing the apprentice to flinch. "I was told as a kit that sometimes we can experience traumatic daydreams. I'm sure that's something you just went through."

Was that really what just happened? Honeypaw was beginning to doubt herself when she picked up her father's scent again. Her chest swelled with hope as she struggled to her paws once again. Luna watched her anxiously as she made her way outside the cave. Her hope was quickly replaced with despair when she realized that he really wasn't there.

"I... it felt so real," Honeypaw murmured.

"You must have a powerful connection with him," Luna meowed.

Honeypaw looked at Luna thoughtfully, wondering if she was right. Maybe that really was the case.

"I should really get back," she sighed after thinking it over. Even if her Clan hated her, she would go back. She wasn't going to abandon them.

"Your wounds aren't fully healed," Luna warned her. Honeypaw met her anxious gaze and shook her head.

"You don't understand... I have family back there... a Clan to get back to," Honeypaw explained. "I can't just abandon them."

Luna looked like she was about to argue once again when she thought better of it. Instead, she stepped back and allowed Honeypaw to leave. Relief washed over Honeypaw as she found herself padding out of the cave once again.

Almost at once, bright sunlight greeted her. Honeypaw blinked a few times to adjust to the light. She hadn't realized just how comforting the darkness really was.

"Are you sure you don't want any traveling herbs, at least?" Luna asked.

"How do you know so much about herbs?" Honeypaw countered.

Luna seemed to have more knowledge of the forest than Honeypaw would like to admit. The dark gray she-cat simply shrugged in response.

"Well, my mother had knowledge and passed it down to me," she explained. "Since than I've been helping out cats who are passing by. If any of them are injured or need traveling herbs, I'm more than ready to help them."

Honeypaw nodded in understanding. Luna was much like a medicine cat in that sense. They had no boundaries like warriors did. She had often wondered what it would be like to train as one. Though she was never brave enough to ask Sparrowclaw if she could.

"I'll be fine," Honeypaw told her after a few heartbeats of awkward silence followed. "Thank you, for the offer."

Luna looked at her doubtfully, but luckily she didn't argue. Honeypaw let out a sigh of relief before padding through the undergrowth. Her shoulders didn't hurt as much as they had before, but they were stiff from lack of use.

She kept up her pace until forcing herself to stop moments later. It was only than that Honeypaw realized she had no idea where she was. This forest was so much thicker compared to PineClan. Trees seemed to grow everywhere she looked. They were tall, with broad-shaped leaves and vines hanging down the trunks. Honeypaw looked around and started to panic as she wondered how she would get home from here.

"... find more herbs to help Harefoot with his sickness." Honeypaw looked around in alarm at the new voice that spoke up. It sounded like a she-cat, but she couldn't be sure as she bounded into the undergrowth to hide herself.

"What does coltsfoot look like?" a younger sounding voice asked.

"Well, coltsfoot is a flowering plant, it looks almost like dandelion, only it can have yellow or white flowers," the she-cat explained.

 _Medicine cats_! Honeypaw let out a sigh of relief as she realized who they were. She turned and noticed just where she was hiding in. The plant that that she-cat had described. Her eyes widened in fear as a muzzle poked through the bushes.

"Uh, Larchwhisker..." The young cat sounded startled as she looked back at Honeypaw through narrowed eyes. "I think I just found an intruder."

"What?" A tortoiseshell she-cat pushed her way forward, eyes widening when she spotted Honeypaw for the first time. "What are you doing in TreeClan territory?" she demanded.

Honeypaw's relief was short-lived when she realized where she was. TreeClan cats were much more aggressive compared to FlowerClan. They wouldn't try and listen to her explanation even if they gave her a chance.

"I-I'm lost," she tried explaining. "I woke up in this cave and... I'm just trying to get back home to PineClan."

"PineClan?" the tortoiseshell exclaimed in shock. "No wonder Tinystar was so anxious at the Gathering... she mentioned that someone had gone missing."

"No one seemed to care though," the pale brown apprentice muttered.

 _Of course they wouldn't care_ , Honeypaw thought bitterly. _They'd be more than happy if some fox had gotten me_.

"Alright, Marshpaw, go and tell Brackenstar what is happening," the tortoiseshell ordered. "I will escort you back to your Clan. It won't look as suspicious if a medicine cat is bringing you back."

Being escorted by the medicine cat was almost as bad as being carried back to camp by enemy warriors. But at least she would finally get back home. And for once, she was thankful for that.

...

It had taken most of the day to get back into PineClan territory. Honeypaw didn't realize just how far they were from camp until Larchwhisker had told her. By the time they reached PineClan, Honeypaw was more than exhausted. Larchwhisker seemed to notice this, and had taken her time getting back. Honeypaw almost resented the fact that Larchwhisker was taking it easy on her. She should be getting punished for trespassing.

"Here, this should help with your breathing problems," Larchwhisker explained after grabbing some coltsfoot. Honeypaw eyed her suspiciously before taking the pulp. She almost gagged at the bitter taste, but she forced herself to swallow it nonetheless. "An elder in our Clan suffers from the same problems," Larchwhisker added. "Coltsfoot is the best remedy."

"Did he become an elder because of his breathing problems?" Honeypaw asked fearfully. She could almost imagine her mother forcing her to become an elder.

"No, Harefoot was one of our best warriors," Larchwhisker purred in amusement. "He had to retire because of an injury he received during battle. He was defending an apprentice when a rogue jumped him."

Honeypaw looked on ahead thoughtfully. She never considered what it would take becoming a warrior. If she wanted to prove herself to the Clan, than maybe she needed to risk her own life. Than again, no one would probably thank her.

She shook her head, feeling better after having eaten the coltsfoot. Larchwhisker was right about one thing - she wasn't the only one who suffered from this sickness. And maybe it was time she overcame that sickness herself.

...

"Honeypaw, thank StarClan you're home!" Sagewind spoke in an overly sweet voice when she spotted Honeypaw first. "We were so worried about you!"

"Really? Because it didn't seem that way at the Gathering," Larchwhisker muttered. "I'm beginning to see why she was gone in the first place."

Sagewind's ears flattened in annoyance, while Honeypaw dipped her head in embarrassment. She hated being put on the spotlight, especially if it meant she would get in trouble later on. Luckily Sagewind didn't say anything. Instead she was pushed aside by Tinystar. The PineClan leader did not look happy.

"Larchwhisker, thank you for bringing her back," Tinystar meowed with a dip of her head. "Is there anything we can do to repay you?"

"For the moment, I'm fine," Larchwhisker replied. "But I'm sure I'll think of some way to ask." Amusement flashed in her eyes as she looked at Tinystar. "I should really be going, my Clan will be missing me."

Silence followed as Larchwhisker left the camp. Honeypaw kept her eyes fixated on the ground as she wondered what Tinystar or the rest of the Clan would do to her. For a moment she thought maybe staying with Luna would have been better. Than she remembered how determined she was to prove they were wrong about her.

"How mousebrained can you get?" Sagewind suddenly hissed, cuffing Honeypaw hard over the ear. "Now we owe TreeClan!"

"Sagewind, that's enough," Tinystar snapped. "Honeypaw is my apprentice, not yours."

Sagewind looked like she was going to argue when she thought better of it. Instead her lips curled in annoyance before she stalked away towards the clearing where everyone else was waiting.

"She's right," Honeypaw murmured. "I am just another mousebrain."

"No, you're not," Tinystar growled. "Nightfur told me what happened to you, and I for one am amazed that no one stopped those apprentices. They'll be cleaning out the elder's den for the next three moons."

Honeypaw looked at Tinystar in disbelief. Nightfur had told her? What else had Nightfur said?

"You were gone for two days, I was afraid that we might have lost you for good," Tinystar added, worry evident in her voice.

"I almost wish I was," Honeypaw whispered, her voice barely audible. Tinystar heard her loud and clear though, and stared at her in shock. "No one wants me here... I don't belong here."

Tinystar only shook her head in frustration. "I want you here," she retorted. "You are my apprentice, and you will become a warrior, maybe even leader some day. I know that life can be tough, that there will always be hurdles to jump over. But you're more than capable of jumping them."

She stared at Tinystar warily as she wondered if her mentor was right. If she really was capable of becoming the warrior Tinystar had always claimed her to be. She had never given it much consideration, considering she had barely started her training.

The two of them returned to the clearing, and Honeypaw spotted Lunepaw and Mistypaw sitting together with their heads close. Her eyes narrowed with hate when Lunepaw glared at her. Tinystar had trotted ahead and was now sharing a few words with Mallowstalk.

"Thanks to you, I can't be a warrior like Mistycloud," Lunepaw spat. "You should've just died out there." Mistycloud's eyes widened in shock at her sister's words.

"Lunepaw, how can you be so cruel?" Mistycloud demanded, her voice cold as she glared at Lunepaw. "What did she do to deserve that kind of treatment?"

"She was born," Lunepaw hissed before stalking away to join Sunpaw and the other apprentices.

Honeypaw just bowed her head in shame, knowing that Lunepaw was partly right. She had every right to hate her. Heck, all of the apprentices did. Only a few cats seemed to stand up for her. And she was beginning to wonder how long that would last.

* * *

 **AN: Well, I didn't get the four reviews like I was hoping, but three is better than none. I've got work in about an hour, so maybe I could get three again? Would be nice to see what everyone thinks of this story so far :)**

 **badguthrie - Awe, I know your pain :( Or I did until we switched to RCN. Best idea we ever made, specially since Verizon refuses to give us FIOS. Yep, you might be right about Nightfur... we'll have to wait and see what kind of life lesson she's teaching Honeypaw.**

 **Nightmare of Haunted Willow - Indeed she is... sadly...**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Well, it doesn't seem like she has friends, but she does :) Eventually that will become clear.**


	8. Chapter Seven

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The next few days seemed to drag on for Honeypaw. She managed to beat Sunpaw in battle training just once. He was able to outpace her with ease the rest of the time, and fought back with his claws unsheathed. Honeypaw didn't bother telling anyone about it. Sunpaw would just find another reason to hate her even more.

She had exceeded in her battle training all together thanks to Larchwhisker's advice. Every morning she would sneak into the medicine cat's den and grab a small amount of coltsfoot. When Tinystar wasn't watching, if she felt exhaustion creeping into her chest, or that small amount of pain, she would take the coltsfoot to help her. And it seemed to work. Sparrowclaw didn't seem to notice that he was missing some of his herbs, or if he did, he wasn't saying anything about it.

It was a few days later when Honeypaw found herself suffering from a nightmare. Her whiskers were twitching with fear as she picked up the stench of blood. She hadn't noticed at the time that something was horribly wrong. That this was more than just a nightmare.

She was wandering down the path she normally took to the training area. Only this time something was different. Honeypaw stopped in her tracks when she saw something laying in the pine needles nearby. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized who that something, or _someone_ , was.

Whiteberry. The white she-cat's fur was now stained red with blood. Her blood. Horror crawled through Honeypaw as she realized that Whiteberry's eyes were clouded over with death. As she searched for any movement, Honeypaw noticed the claw marks scoring her fur. Someone had _murdered_ the gentle queen, in cold blood.

Honeypaw woke up gasping for breath. Her heart was beating so fast that she was certain everyone else could hear it. It was still dark out, the moon at it's highest peak. Honeypaw looked around anxiously, and her first instinct was to check on the nursery.

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw that Whiteberry's kits were sleeping alone. She stepped back outside and noticed that only Pricklenose was guarding the camp entrance. And she looked like she was falling asleep on her paws. Honeypaw rolled her eyes at the sight before bounding over, nearly making Pricklenose leap out of her fur in the process.

"What do you want?" the brown and white she-cat muttered crossly.

"Have you seen anyone leave the camp lately?" Honeypaw asked. Pricklenose just narrowed her eyes in annoyance before shaking her head.

"Of course not, it's moonhigh, why would anyone leave camp this late at night?" she demanded.

Honeypaw held back a hiss of frustration, her claws digging into the ground as she wondered where Whiteberry was. She didn't give Pricklenose a chance to stop her as she dashed out of camp. Pricklenose was yowling after her for being an 'idiot mousebrain', or whatever nonsense. By now Honeypaw had gotten used to the insults. She needed to make sure that her dream was just that, a dream.

She bounded through the undergrowth, ignoring the pain in her chest as ferns and pine needles whipped past her face. The forest seemed so eerily quiet compared to what she was used to. In the distance she could hear the screech of an owl, which caused her to jump in alarm. Owls normally hunted at night, and were known for their silent hunting. If one grabbed her now, she would never know what had happened to Whiteberry.

 _Please, StarClan, don't let anything happen to her_ , Honeypaw prayed silently. Whiteberry had always been there for her when she was a kit. She couldn't lose the one cat who had acted like a mother to her than Sagewind.

Honeypaw reached the training area in what felt like hours. She was gasping for air when the sudden stench of blood hit her lungs. Honeypaw held back a wail of grief when she realized that her dream really had been a warning. She turned around the corner in time to see Whiteberry's body laying on a pile of pine needles.

"StarClan, Whiteberry!" Honeypaw didn't even realize that Pricklenose had been following her. "No, you can't be dead..." Pricklenose rounded the corner, than let out a sob when she noticed the wounds covering Whiteberry's body. "How did you know she was out here?" Pricklenose demanded, turning to glare at Honeypaw.

"I had a nightmare," Honeypaw explained, barely suppressing a shiver at the sight of Whiteberry's body. "I saw her in the forest, bleeding out."

Pricklenose didn't look like she believed Honeypaw. To Honeypaw's relief, Pricklenose didn't say anything.

"Go and warn Tinystar, we'll need help carrying her body back to camp," Pricklenose ordered instead.

Honeypaw was all too willing to oblige. She bounded through the forest once more, returning to camp heartbeats later. By now a few cats were awake, alerted by Pricklenose's yowling. Their eyes narrowed in annoyance at the sight of Honeypaw standing in the camp's entrance.

"What's going on?" Waspfang asked groggily.

"Whiteberry, Tinystar... I need to speak with her," Honeypaw explained between gasps. Fortunately, Tinystar was already awake by this point. "Whiteberry was killed, she's out in the forest with Pricklenose," Honeypaw told her mentor. Tinystar exchanged a horrified look with Waspfang before letting Honeypaw guide the way.

Silence filled the air as Honeypaw led the way towards the training area. It wasn't long before Tinystar and Waspfang had seen what Honeypaw was talking about. Pricklenose stood protectively beside Whiteberry's body, as if she was expecting someone to take it away.

"She was murdered," Pricklenose growled when Tinystar saw the wounds for the first time. "And I suspect, this apprentice was responsible." Honeypaw only stared at Pricklenose in utter shock.

"What?" she demanded, her fur standing on end with fury as she stood up to Pricklenose. "I would never murder someone in cold blood!" she snarled. "Whiteberry was more than just my friend!"

"That's enough, both of you," Tinystar snapped. "Honeypaw did not murder Whiteberry. She was asleep in her nest when this happened. Whoever is responsible, we will find out, and they will be punished."

Pricklenose looked like she wanted to argue some more, but thought better of it. Instead she clamped her jaw shut and glared at Honeypaw. Honeypaw only glared back at her. She would gladly draw out this argument if she had to. She was not responsible for Whiteberry's death. And that was what mattered the most.

...

Everyone was shocked to find out that Whiteberry was dead. The worst part was telling her kits. They were old enough now to eat fresh-kill, and Rainpool had moved into the nursery days ago. But the fact that their mother was gone had hurt them the most. Honeypaw knew it would take time for them to recover, just as she had for the loss of her father. She understood what it was like to lose your family.

"I don't understand how this happened," Waspfang sighed. His muzzle was buried into Whiteberry's now stiff fur.

"Someone murdered her," Pricklenose growled. "And I think I know who."

Cold chills swept through Honeypaw as Waspfang glared at her. Pricklenose was pointing a tail in her direction, and Waspfang seemed to believe her. She wasn't sure if she should be hurt, or angry by this reaction.

She padded away from the clearing, unable to face Whiteberry any longer. Lunepaw's words still lingered in the back of her mind.

 _You're better off dead_. _You're useless, pathetic, a waste of time and energy_.

Honeypaw squeezed her eyes shut at the cruel, taunting words. Lunepaw was right. She'd done nothing but hurt the Clan since she became an apprentice. And now she was only making things worse for them. Whiteberry was dead because of her. And she couldn't face the consequences of that death.

With a sigh of defeat, Honeypaw headed towards the only place she knew would be safe from the others. Sparrowclaw had never tried hurting her as far as she was concerned. In fact, he was actually quite friendly once she got to know him.

"... gather some thyme for Waspfang and Honeypaw. I think they'll need those herbs the most." Tinystar's voice sounded from inside his den. Honeypaw flinched at the sound and halted nearby, wondering if it was right to go inside now.

"The kits will need it too," Sparrowclaw murmured. "How are they holding up?"

"Not well, as you can imagine. And I'm afraid Honeypaw blames herself for this," Tinystar sighed. "There has to be a way to convince the Clan otherwise."

 _I'm the reason she's dead_ , Honeypaw thought bitterly. _I could have done something to stop it_. She held back another sigh and turned to leave. _Guess I won't be getting those traveling herbs_.

She shook her head at the thought as she made her way towards the camp entrance. No one was guarding it this time. Whiteberry's death had spread through the Clan like wildfire. Honeypaw knew it was only a matter of time before they started accusing her. Leaving now would make things easier for her in the end.

Honeypaw looked over her shoulder one last time before slipping through the entrance. No one bothered asking where she was going. And for once, she was grateful.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been rather busy... with life :P By the way, has anyone else seen Inside Out yet? Anyone intrigued by the concept that Disney introduced us to? I know I am ;)**

 **badguthrie - lol, I tend to write several chapters at a time, than send them to my files documents. I usually try to update every other day if I get the chance :)**

 **Flamepelt the Cat - Yeah, she has someone who appreciates her...**

 **Berrysplash - Honeypaw definitely needs more friends who support her. Though she had Whiteberry, she has no one besides Tinystar now...**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Hehe, well, I never really did say that he died... to the Clans he's dead, but to everyone else... well, you'll have to read and find out what happens :P And thanks, I appreciate the feedback, it's always appreciated :)**


	9. Chapter Eight

" _I see you dressed in white, Every wrong made right, I see a rose in bloom At the sight of you (oh so priceless) Irreplaceable, unmistakable, incomparable Darling, it's beautiful, I see it all in you (oh so priceless)..._ " Priceless, for KING and COUNTRY

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

For the first time in moons, a sense of freedom suddenly washed over Honeypaw. She found herself running through the forest, enjoying the rush of warm air that hit her lungs. And for once, she didn't feel the pain that normally came with running. She felt like a kit again, whooping for the pure joy of it. Honeypaw didn't stop running until she had finally reached the edge of PineClan territory. From here she could see that the sun was just beginning to rise. Patrols would soon be sent out, and if they found her now, they would surely try to stop her.

She wasn't planning on going back. Not after the way they had accused her of Whiteberry's death. Besides, out here, she was safe from their cruel words and claws. They couldn't hurt her here even if they tried. She was free from the Clan, free to do whatever she wished.

 _I want to find Luna again_ , she suddenly realized as her paws took her closer to TreeClan territory. _Maybe she could take me in and teach me the ways of herbs_. _Or I could live the rest of my life as a rogue... exploring the world, seeing what's really out there_. She held back a purr at the thought. She had always wanted to see what lay beyond Clan territory. Maybe this was her chance.

Honeypaw quickly made her way towards the cave where she first met Luna. Her heart sank though when she realized that Luna was gone. The scent was stale, and the herbs Luna had gathered were gone as well. Honeypaw let out a gusty sigh as she wondered what to do from there.

The golden tabby apprentice took a few circles around the inside of the cave before slipping back outside. Warm sunlight greeted her, and she only just realized that it was the middle of greenleaf. Luna and the other rogues might have moved to different hunting grounds. This might be where they stay during leafbare to keep warm and have better hunting. A sudden, new sense of determination overcame Honeypaw as she raised her chin.

 _I will find her_ , she vowed. She quickly made her way across the thick forest. Ferns, falling leaves and other debris littered the ground. Honeypaw could hear tiny pawsteps skittering across the undergrowth. A mouse wasn't too far ahead. If she acted now, she would make an easy kill.

She dropped down to a hunter's crouch and pinpointed where the mouse was hiding. It was under a broad-shaped shiny leaf, cleaning off it's whiskers. Honeypaw narrowed her eyes as she stepped lightly towards it. Mice could easily detect movement around them. One wrong step and she would lose her prey. She wasn't planning on admitting defeat that easily.

The mouse suddenly stopped it's cleaning and sniffed around anxiously. Honeypaw stopped in her tracks, easing her pawsteps just enough to wait until it relaxed. Once the mouse had it's guard down, Honeypaw suddenly lunged forward and caught it with ease. The warm taste of blood felt oddly soothing as she tore into the mouse without hesitation. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was until now.

Once she'd had her fill, she buried the rest and decided to find out where Luna had gone. It couldn't be too far from here. Though Luna had traveling herbs, she probably went with a group of cats. Which meant that they would be traveling by day rather than night.

Honeypaw made sure that she had Luna's scent memorized. It was a mix of herbs and something else that she couldn't quite detect. But once she picked up that scent, finding her was easy. She slowly made her way through the expanding forest. The dense trees had begun to part, revealing younger saplings and a mixture of trees.

Her ears pricked forward with curiosity as she reached a ravine. Ferns and vines grew along the rocky walls, and water dripped down from the boulders. Honeypaw glanced around until she saw what looked like a small cave inside the ravine. Something in the back of her mind told her that that was where Luna would go. After seeing her old den, Honeypaw had no doubts now.

She slowly inched her way forward, water dripping down on her pelt as she did so. But the moment she arrived, she realized that this cave too was empty. Only something was different. Honeypaw's ears flattened when she felt like she wasn't alone. She was ready to run out of the cave when something stopped her in her tracks.

"Don't leave, not yet." Honeypaw's heart nearly skipped a beat at the sound of Whiteberry's voice. She turned around and realized that the cave was replaced with lush grass. Trees surrounded them in the distance, and stars covered the night sky. It took Honeypaw a few seconds to realize that they were in StarClan.

"Whiteberry!" she almost cried with joy as she rushed forward to touch noses. Whiteberry responded in the same manner, her pelt brushing against Honeypaw's as they greeted each other. "I'm so sorry... I wish there was more I could do..." Honeypaw paused as she met the white she-cat's gaze. "Do you know who killed you?"

"I do," Whiteberry replied. "But it is not my place to tell you the truth. You must find this out yourself."

"But why? Don't you want to be avenged?" Honeypaw asked.

"Yes, but I want to be avenged the right way," Whiteberry told her. "Honeypaw, I want you to understand that no matter what everyone else says, you are still more than what they believe. You will rise to lead them one day."

Honeypaw bowed her head as shame crawled through her. What Whiteberry had said only confirmed that she was nothing more than a coward. She looked up once more to see that Whiteberry was gone.

 _What am I supposed to do now_? she wondered. She had left the Clan, and by now, they would find out the truth. Tinystar wouldn't think of her as a leader anymore. The others would mock her because she had fled. Honeypaw had never felt more lost.

...

Sunhigh had gone and past when Honeypaw left the ravine. She found herself wandering aimlessly through the undergrowth, the trees beginning to expand once more. It seemed this forest was endless. No matter where she turned, there was nothing but trees.

Honeypaw held back a groan as she wondered how long her journey would take. She was no where near finding a good place to rest either. This forest seemed alive with life, and predators weren't far. Her ears swiveled back and forth as she checked to make sure no foxes or badgers were in the area. The last thing she needed was to be attacked. She had only just recovered from passing out when she went hunting with Lunepaw and Nightfur.

She shook her head at the thought, glancing at the sky as it turned from pale blue to a pinkish orange. The sun was beginning to slip away. Soon it would be dark, and the dangers that followed sent shivers of fear through Honeypaw. But determination sent her forward. Despite her exhaustion and the pain in her chest, she kept marching on.

Finally Honeypaw stopped in her tracks when she saw a pair of eyes looking back at her through the darkness. Her own eyes narrowed with suspicion as she slowly crept forward. The eyes barely moved until finally she realized it was Luna staring back at her with unblinking eyes.

"I knew you would find us," Luna purred as Honeypaw staggered back in surprise.

"H-How did you know I would be here, looking for you?" Honeypaw asked.

"You are curious," Luna replied. "You want to know why I am capable of using herbs, and if I am not alone."

Honeypaw tilted her head to one side, surprised by the she-cat's sudden arrogance. But she was right. Honeypaw wanted to know whether or not Luna was part of a Clan, or another group of cats. She glanced over her shoulder; by now the moon was starting to rise.

"I'd like to join your group," Honeypaw murmured. "I have no place in the Clan... they think I killed someone." Luna simply nodded in understanding.

"You are welcome to follow me, but I do not know if my group will accept you... they aren't the most accepting types," she explained after noticing Honeypaw's confusion.

Honeypaw dipped her head respectfully, knowing that it would take time for her to gain their trust. She flicked her tail and allowed Luna to lead the way. Luna seemed to know the area better than Honeypaw imagined. She took every twist and turn carefully, ensuring that she didn't get lost or leave Honeypaw behind in the process. Honeypaw was thankful for that; she wasn't sure what she would do if she ended up getting lost.

Eventually Luna had led her to what looked like an even larger cavern than the one Honeypaw was in before. Her eyes widened at the sight as she tried to take everything in. Large pointed stones dangled precariously from the top of the cave, while some met from the ground up. Honeypaw gaped when she saw what looked like a large stone jutting out from the ground, and above said stone was an opening in the cave, revealing bright moonlight.

"Luna, what are you doing back so soon?" Honeypaw flinched at a familiar voice. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a ginger and white form standing in the center of the cave, looking at Luna warily.

"I was patrolling the forest like you asked, when I came across her, again," Luna explained. "She found me, actually. She wants to join our group." Honeypaw glared at the ginger and white tom as he took a step towards them, his eyes widening in recognition. "I know that you don't wish to speak with her, but she deserves to know the truth," Luna added in a whisper.

The ginger and white tom took a deep breath before nodding in agreement. For a moment, Honeypaw wasn't sure what to say. Her thoughts were tangled up at the moment, and seeing this cat only made things worse. He shouldn't be here. He should be dead, like he'd claimed. Something wasn't adding up.

"I believe there is a lot of catching up we need to do," he sighed after noticing Honeypaw's confusion. "Come, we can explain things in the Cave of Stars," he added with a wave of his tail.

Honeypaw glanced at Luna uncertainly, but the dark gray she-cat had already left them, fading into the darkness. Wariness washed over Honeypaw as she followed the ginger and white tom. She wasn't sure if she should trust these cats. They had already made it clear that they were keeping some kind of secret. She ducked a few times to avoid getting caught under a pile of rocks. This cat made traveling in a cave easy. He seemed to know which path was easiest, and which paths to avoid. Honeypaw, on the other paw, was tripping over her own paws in the meantime.

Luckily the ginger and white tom had stopped when they reached what felt like the smallest cave Honeypaw had ever been in. She could barely lift her head as she tried to get her bearings. But she did notice that a shaft of moonlight poked through one of the holes in the cave wall. The silver light seemed to illuminate the tom's fur as he turned around to face her.

"Can you please explain to me what in StarClan is going on here?" she finally asked. "You were there when I woke up in Luna's den... you... you said that you were dead... Why would you lie to me?"

"It was for your own safety," he replied, sounding more grief-stricken than anything else. Honeypaw's ears pricked forward as she gazed into her father's eyes. "The Clans cannot know that I am alive. It would be disastrous for them, and for these cats." He paused to let this news sink in, and Honeypaw looked down at her paws in embarrassment. "I left the Clan because I thought it was better that way. Unlike your mother, I was always a daydreamer. It put many cats' lives in danger."

"A daydreamer... mother never mentioned that before," Honeypaw murmured thoughtfully. She knew that he wasn't telling the truth. That didn't explain how he ended up here, with Luna of all cats.

"Yes well, the Clans are better off now without me," he meowed. "Besides, I've learned to lead my own group of cats. These cats had no place to go, and so I brought them in. Luna has great knowledge of herbs, and I've learned to speak to someone without actually being there with them." That caught Honeypaw's attention. She looked at her father curiously, wondering how he was capable of doing something like that. "It's not an easy task, and it requires a great deal of energy. Only those I'm close to can see me."

"Have you tried it with mother, or Sunpaw?" she asked curiously.

"I have." He let out a sigh as he glanced towards the cave wall. "Your mother has... changed over the past moons. And I'm afraid your brother has picked up on those traits. Neither of them are close to StarClan, like I'd hoped." Her father paused and looked at Honeypaw with a gleam in his eyes. It was a look she had seen in Whiteberry's eyes, one she wasn't familiar with. _Love_. Honeypaw couldn't remember the last time someone had given her that look. "Get some rest," he told her. "Tomorrow I will show you around, and introduce you to my campmates."

Honeypaw didn't bother arguing with him. She was exhausted by now, and he could clearly see that. There was just one more thing that she needed to do before getting a fitful night's rest. She took one step forward until her whiskers were just barely touching his muzzle. Honeypaw breathed in his warm, familiar scent, and brushed her muzzle against his. She didn't go through like last time. Her heart nearly soared with joy at that moment. Her father was real, alive, and right in front of her. And he was nothing like the Clan had described him.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the long delay... I'm fighting a cold, and believe me, it's not fun :( But, they just announced the lineup for Winterjam 2016! I'm super excited, Matthew West, for KING and COUNTRY and Crowder will be going! If you've never heard of it, check it out, the concert's only $10 at the door, totally worth the price :D Shameless advertising XD**

 **badguthrie - Yeah, it made me cry the first time I saw it. Definitely one of Pixar's better movies... Though Up and Wall-E were pretty good too :) And sadly Honeypaw's decision has been made...**

 **Flamepelt the Cat - You'll have to wait and see, I love keeping readers in the dark :P**

 **Nightmare Of Haunted Willow - Thanks, I'm glad you liked it so much! And go check it out, the movie is amazingly well done :)**

 **Berrysplash - Hehe, sometimes the chapters can be predictable... but hopefully this took an unexpected turn, I love surprising my lovely readers ;)**


	10. Chapter Nine

" _So hold your head high, wait for the dawn, Keep hanging on, your sadness will turn into laughter, Watch it turn into laughter, yeah..._ " - Matter, for KING and COUNTRY

 **CHAPTER NINE**

"You ran away like a coward."

"You don't deserve to be called an apprentice."

"You would have been better off dead."

Honeypaw's teeth ground together as those cruel words kept taunting her. She could hear them calling her out in the distance. They didn't care what effect those words had on her. As long as they had the satisfaction of watching her cripple under their weight, that was what mattered to them. These nightmares had been haunting her since she became an apprentice. She had hoped that leaving the Clan would put an end to them. But they only seemed to be getting worse.

It wasn't until a paw prodded her side that she realized it was nothing more than a dream. Her eyes flashed open in a heartbeat, and she found herself in an unfamiliar cave, laying on a pile of moss and feathers. It took her a few seconds to register what had happened the night before. Then she finally looked up and met a pair of worried green eyes looked down at her.

"It was just a nightmare," she tried reassuring her father as she struggled to her paws.

"It looked like more than just a nightmare," he meowed. Luckily he didn't press her any further. "The others are already awake. I told them earlier that we had a visitor... I wasn't sure if you would be overwhelmed by so many new faces."

Honeypaw ducked her head in embarrassment, only just remembering what her father had said the night before. Today she was going to meet the others. She wasn't sure what they would be like, or if they would ever accept her. But at least she was now with her father. She was no longer alone.

She did her best to make sure her fur was well groomed. The last thing she needed was them judging her based on appearance. At least she already knew Luna. The dark gray she-cat had seemed wary around her father, but maybe that was because he led them. It might be their tradition to treat him that way. Either way, Honeypaw was eager to meet the rest of them. The two of them padded through the winding caves in silence. Honeypaw could hear water dripping from the stones. It was eerie how quiet it was back here. She wondered how her father could stand it.

Soon they reached the larger cave where Honeypaw first arrived. She was even more amazed to see the sunlight gleaming against the cave walls. Now she could clearly make out that there were dens scattered all across the cave. Some were larger than others, while others had small openings that led to more caves. She blinked and gaped at the sight, realizing just how big this place really was. Then she noticed the cats who were gathered in the center of the cave. Their eyes were all watching her carefully, as if they expected her to leap out of her fur at any heartbeat.

"So you're the new cat Luna's been talking about," muttered a young looking mottled dark brown tom. He wasn't annoyed like Honeypaw was expecting. Instead, he looked curious as he studied her features. Her fur felt hot under his curious gaze.

"Cats of the cave, I am here to introduce you to my daughter... I assume that you are an apprentice now?" her father looked at her cautiously, as if afraid of what she might say. She simply nodded in response, than realized that she might never become a warrior now. "Honeypaw."

"Hiya, I'm Raven," a black tom introduced himself before anyone else could speak up.

His response earned a few glares, but Honeypaw couldn't help but smirk in amusement. He seemed friendly enough. Soon enough she met the rest of them. Luna had a sister known as Moss, who seemed a bit grumpier than Luna. She met a dark ginger tom with piercing green eyes known as Tango. Then there was Lizard, a gray and white tom who appeared menacing, but was actually quite friendly. Last but not least were Clover and her two kits, Petal and Ginger. The mottled brown tom was known as Hawthorn. Honeypaw suspected she had seen him before reaching the caves.

"Is she staying with us from now on?" asked Petal as she looked at her mother anxiously. Clover only shrugged and looked back at Honeypaw's father hopefully.

"She is welcome to stay as long as she likes," he replied with a nod. "I do not want her to feel like an outsider."

Embarrassment washed over Honeypaw when he said that. She knew he was looking out for her best interest, but somehow it felt wrong nonetheless. She shook her head at the thought and greeted everyone with equal interest. It was amazing that these cats got along without tearing one another to shreds. They were living together like a Clan, and even had their own healer.

"Why are you leading these cats?" she suddenly asked her father as he padded forward to join her. "What makes them any better than the Clans?" She flinched at her own words, remembering just how cruel her Clanmates had been to her.

"Because they needed a leader, someone who had knowledge of living in a Clan, someone who wouldn't turn their back on them when they were needed the most," he explained. "I wanted to stay with you and your mother, along with your brothers for the longest time. I wanted to see you grow up, become the warrior I know you will be someday."

"I'm not much of a warrior now," Honeypaw murmured, her voice bitter. She glared down at her paws as she remembered the way she had left them.

"No, but one day you will prove to them just how valuable you are to the Clan," he reassured her.

Honeypaw looked at her father doubtfully. She had often wondered if she would live up to the promise Tinystar had given her. Maybe if she wasn't such a coward than her life would be easier. But until she learned to prove herself, she wouldn't go back to the Clans anytime soon.

...

"Do you want to learn how to hunt at night?" Honeypaw blinked in confusion as the mottled dark brown tom known as Hawthorn approached her. Raven was waiting outside the cave's entrance, his pelt bathed in moonlight. "You know, it's one of our best techniques," he added, sounding a bit annoyed that she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Oh... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try," she replied with a shrug. She was curious about them hunting at night. How did they get their prey, and what techniques did they use that differed from the Clans? No one hunted at night. There were too many dangers involved.

"Welcome to the hunting party," Raven purred as she bounded up to meet him. Honeypaw held back a purr of her own, ignoring the roll of Hawthorn's eyes when he noticed their exchange. Whatever thoughts he had on them could just be kept to himself.

They took off into the darkness. By now Honeypaw's eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she was thankful for that. She could already imagine Hawthorn laughing as she tripped over the countless boulders and roots that littered the area. Raven moved with ease over the undergrowth, making even Hawthorn look weak in comparison. Honeypaw struggled to keep up, and by the time they stopped, she was out of breath and gasping for air.

"Can't keep up with us? Guess you're not the great apprentice your father made you out to be," Hawthorn sneered. Honeypaw only glared back at him in response. There was no way she'd let him get to her. It was bad enough her own Clanmates had taunted her for moons, she didn't need it from someone else.

"Leave her alone," Raven snapped. "She's still new at this." Hawthorn simply shrugged and met Honeypaw's stare with a defiant one of his own. "Hawthorn, I want you to bring back two mice for me. If that's not too big of a challenge," he added after Hawthorn nodded enthusiastically. The young tom only narrowed his eyes before doing as he was told. "Honeypaw, how much do you know about hunting at night?"

"No," she replied with a shake of her head.

"Well, you're in for a treat," Raven reassured her. "Hunting at night is like nothing you've ever experienced. What I'm about to show you is a technique that few cats know, and it's caught us some good prey too." Raven paused to let this sink in before explaining what to do, "First, you need to blend in with the territory. Close your eyes, and listen to what you can hear, and taste the air."

Honeypaw nodded, feeling a sense of determination rush through her as she closed her eyes. Her mouth opened to taste the air, and it wasn't long before she picked up Raven's unique scent. A twig snapped nearby, causing her to jump in alarm. She struggled to keep herself calm, and soon found the forest come to life. Crickets were chirping in the night, she heard the hoot of an owl in the distance, and soon she could hear tiny paws scrabbling over the undergrowth.

"There's something out there, right over by that tree root," she whispered, nodding to where she had seen an uprooted tree earlier.

"You're right," Raven replied. "There's a rabbit hiding under those ferns, if you're up to catching it."

She followed his gaze before nodding once more. She dropped to a hunter's crouch, remembering what Tinystar had taught her. While she might not have been in the Clan that long, she would never forget what her mentor had taught her. Her paws stepped over the undergrowth lightly. Rabbits were excellent at hearing, and one wrong move would lose her meal for the night. Last thing she wanted was to make herself look like a mousebrain.

At last she managed to step close enough that she could pounce and catch the rabbit. Her claws unsheathed as she rushed forward, grabbing the rabbit before it could dart away. It squirmed under her grasp, but she snapped it's neck before it could. Relief washed over her when she realized that she had caught it.

"Well done," Raven purred when she returned to his side. "I see our friend has only caught one mouse, instead of two," he added when Hawthorn returned to them. The young tom's lips curled in annoyance at the sight of Honeypaw's rabbit.

Honeypaw held back a purr of amusement at the sight. She was happy to have caught her first prey on her own. Of course she'd had help from Raven, but she caught the rabbit on her own. That was a big achievement for her.

* * *

 **AN: So there's the next chapter. Hope everyone is enjoying this, and has plans for Halloween night :D I plan on having a Ghost Adventures marathon. It's fun watching them, especially when you catch something they don't see ;)**

 **badguthrie - I love it too :D Pixar always seems to come up with the best movies, right alongside Marvel studios.**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Ah yes, he is. But he has secrets of his own, and I can't wait for readers to find out what they are :P And you'll have to wait to see what happens next ;)**

 **Berrysplash - lol I'm glad there was at least some surprise. I love making my readers guess what happens next.**

 **Apple pie - Yep, Honeypaw can finally have her own secret... hopefully it won't come back to bite her in the butt Oo**


	11. Chapter Ten

" _They say bad things happen for a reason But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding 'Cause she's moved on while I'm still grieving And when a heart breaks no it don't break even, even... no..._ " Breakeven, The Script

 **CHAPTER TEN**

A purr rose in Honeypaw's throat as she shared tongues with Raven. Two days had passed since she joined the cats in the cave alongside her father, and she couldn't be happier. Raven had become a good friend to her, and she had become good friends with Luna as well. The dark gray she-cat was friendly and spirited, almost like a kit. Her sister, on the other paw, wasn't quite so welcoming. In fact on two occasions she had almost gotten her ears clawed off by Moss.

"And one day, this huge badger came crashing through the undergrowth," Hawthorn was telling Petal's kits a story. Honeypaw listened in the background, her ears pricked forward with curiosity. "They didn't know what to do, they were frozen with fear." He was exaggerating most of the story, and the kits listened with huge, round eyes. It was an amusing sight to watch. "Finally, Rumble decided that enough was enough. He struck his claws into the badger's throat, and killed it with one swipe."

"That's amazing!" squeaked Petal.

"Was the badger really that big?" asked Ginger.

"Bigger," Hawthorn replied with a firm nod. "It was about as big as the den that you two sleep in." The two kits exchanged horrified looks. "But don't worry, it won't be coming back to hurt you."

Hawthorn was surprisingly a good storyteller. And good with kits. Maybe that was because he was barely a kit himself. Honeypaw could see that he would be an apprentice if he was in the Clans. His muscles though were what stood out the most. Unlike most apprentices, he had broad shoulders that made him look twice as big. The kits looked slightly reassured by his words, but that didn't stop them from asking their mother if the den was safe. Clover looked furious when she realized that Hawthorn had been telling them the story.

 _Looks like you'll be cleaning out her den for the next few days_ , Honeypaw thought with a small purr of amusement. Her father was fair when it came to giving punishments. He ensured that everyone had clean dens just like in the Clans. Hawthorn and the rest of the younger cats cleaned out the dens and gathered new nests for them every other day.

"So, how are you liking the caves?" Raven suddenly asked, taking her attention away from the kits. She looked at him in surprise before thinking over an answer.

"It's so much different compared to living where I did," she admitted. "But in a good way. I'm getting used to hunting at night, and patrolling by day. It actually makes more sense to do that." Raven nodded in agreement and flicked his tail.

"Blaze has a good sense of what is right and wrong," he meowed. "That's why he makes a good leader. He doesn't take nonsense from anyone."

Honeypaw looked at Raven in surprise. She'd never thought of her father as someone who was fair and just. He'd left the Clans, and he'd never really given her the real reason behind his departure. She wished that she could understand the truth. But something told her the truth would hurt more than a simple lie.

"Hey, maybe you can tell me what it's like living in the Clans," Raven suddenly suggested. Honeypaw's whiskers twitched with worry at the thought of sharing anything about the Clans. Truthfully she wanted nothing to do with them now. But maybe telling someone her story wouldn't be a bad thing.

So she told him. She found herself talking about how she'd been pretty much raised by Whiteberry instead of her real mother. How the Clan had treated her as an apprentice, and how Tinystar had tried encouraging her so much. Raven listened with keen interest, his eyes widening as she mentioned how cruel the apprentices had been to her.

"They only hated me because I was weaker than them," she muttered crossly. "All because I was slower in training..."

"Sounds like they didn't care much about you," Raven murmured after frowning. Honeypaw looked down at her paws, feeling guilty once again for leaving them all behind.

"Well, not all of them were bad," she meowed. "My leader cared about me, and so did Whiteberry. But she died, and the Clan blames me for her death."

 _I wish there was an easier way to explain how life worked in the Clans_ , she thought sadly. None of them would ever accept her again if she decided to go back. She was certain of that.

...

"Let's see how much you've improved," Hawthorn meowed as he led Honeypaw and the kits out into the forest. They were almost five moons old. Clover had joined them to see whether or not her kits would make avid night hunters like the rest of the cave cats. Honeypaw was doubtful she could ever live up to their reputation, but Raven had already taught her otherwise. "Petal, Ginger, watch what I do and see if you can do the same thing."

The two kits exchanged looks of excitement as Hawthorn suddenly dropped to a hunter's crouch. His dark pelt let him blend in almost perfectly with his surroundings. Honeypaw had never given that much thought when it came to stalking prey. Raven had told her that most of the cave cats had dark pelts for this very reason. Suddenly his claws stretched out to catch something hiding in the undergrowth. Honeypaw's eyes widened in amazement when Hawthorn managed to catch a mouse without missing a heartbeat.

"You two will soon do the same thing," Clover purred in amusement at the kit's expressions.

"Alright, Honeypaw, let's see you do what I just did." Honeypaw was shaken from her thoughts; she looked at Hawthorn anxiously before taking her own hunter's crouch position.

She studied the undergrowth carefully before making her move. Her senses were getting stronger after spending so much time in the darkness. Raven had told her that the darkness would increase her sense of smell and sight. And he was right. She could pick up more distinctive scents in the air, such as a fox that had wandered through here a couple of days ago. Or the shrew that was lurking nearby in a pile of leaves.

Her whiskers twitched with interest as she slowly stalked towards it. A branch suddenly snapped from behind. Honeypaw stiffened when the shrew ran away. She struggled to catch it before it could get away, but of course she missed it. Honeypaw sat up when her shoulders lurched, than she turned to see Petal and Ginger looking at her with innocent eyes.

"Sorry, we thought you'd catch it," Ginger mewed.

 _No you didn't_ , Honeypaw thought bitterly. She hadn't realized until now that these kits were disturbingly _too_ innocent. They returned to their mother's side when Clover started calling them. Hawthorn was still waiting there, tail flicking impatiently until she too returned.

"Bad luck," Hawthorn meowed once she got back. "Come on, it's going to be light out soon."

Honeypaw only glared back at him as he turned and led the way back to the cave. Silence followed as the five of them padded on. By now the sun was beginning to rise when they'd finally returned. Her shoulders were heavy with exhaustion as she crept into the cave. Hawthorn dropped his mouse on the prey pile, while Clover and her kits returned to the nursery.

She glared after them as she headed for her nest. Her chest was heaving with effort when she caught sight of her father approaching Clover. She watched on as he brushed muzzles with the dusky brown she-cat, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched.

"Our kits are going to make fine hunters," she heard Clover purr.

"Well, you _are_ their mother," her father replied.

"And _you're_ their father," Clover put in.

Her fur began to stand on end when she heard that. A sudden sense of betrayal washed over Honeypaw as she raced back to her nest. She didn't care whether or not her chest was burning with pain. By now she had gotten used to it. But hearing that her father had a new mate and kits of his own, only after he'd let her join his group, hurt more than anything else.

"Is something wrong?" Raven asked when he caught sight of her.

"No," she replied a little too quickly. Raven blinked at her in concern, but she brushed it off with a shrug. "Nothing is wrong," she added before curling up in her nest.

 _Nothing that you or StarClan can fix_ , she added silently.

* * *

 **AN: So there's the next chapter! I bet no one was expecting this little surprise ;) Sorry for the shortness of these chapters too... the next couple will likely be like this. Also, the Ghost Adventures Deadwood special was absolutely amazing! Only reason I watch the show is because I've experienced paranormal activity myself... My own house is haunted, and by our dog and the previous owner of the home. So, I have one question that reviewers probably won't respond to: Have you ever experienced anything paranormal? Just curious :)**

 **Berrysplash - Yeah, Raven does seem like a good guy. It's a shame that I don't have any plans for them... And thanks, the marathon was awesome! Of course I kept switching between that show and the Librarians, another great show on TNT... I have way too much time on my hands XD**

 **badguthrie - Thanks! I'm glad you liked it :)**

 **Night of Raging Storm - I've never watched that show, though I've heard it's good. And yep, Honeypaw is fitting in well, for now...**


	12. Chapter Eleven

" _Ready or not, Here, here, here, here I come I'm about to show you where the light comes from, Oh, oh, oh ready or not Here, here I come, This is who I am I won't hide it. I'ma take it all over the world To the young, to the old, every boy and girl, Ready or not Here, here I come I'ma show the world where the love is..._ " - Ready or Not, Britt Nicole (FT Lecrae)

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

"You're even weaker than I thought," Hawthorn taunted as Honeypaw struggled to get back on her paws.

They were sparring. Or at least that was Honeypaw's intentions until Hawthorn had started attacking her. Now she had scratches and bite marks on her shoulders from where Hawthorn had hurt her. She could only glare back as a sense of hopelessness washed over. She couldn't fight back even if she wanted to.

"You're a coward," she choked out as she struggled to gasp for air.

"And you're not?" Hawthorn retorted. He lashed out again, this time his claws scoring deep marks on her chest. Honeypaw held back a cry of pain. "I thought you'd be better than this, just like your father."

"He's not the father I thought he was," she snapped.

Hawthorn looked at her in confusion. She took the chance and suddenly retaliated, her claws gripping his shoulders as she managed to pin him down. All of the pent up rage and anger she had felt earlier suddenly came rushing back. In a whirlwind of teeth and claws, Hawthorn found himself bleeding just as heavily as her. His eyes widened in horror as she prepared to deliver the final blow, when she thought better of it.

"Why don't you just end it?" he growled when she released her grip.

"Because I'm not a killer," she retorted. "Unlike you, I try not to use my claws unless it's forced. In a Clan, apprentices aren't supposed to fight with their claws unsheathed. It's against the code."

He gave her a look that said he didn't understand. Honeypaw held back a sigh of frustration. She wondered how her father could not have told them about this crucial part of being in a Clan. Then again, the cave cats were _not_ part of a Clan.

"This code sounds a bit too complex for my liking," he grunted.

"Yeah well, at least they have something to live for," she muttered crossly.

 _Something to live for_... Honeypaw's heart sank when she realized that she had forgotten the true meaning of being a Clan cat. She had forgotten what it was like to fight for her family, for her friends and Clanmates. While she didn't have any back in the Clans, she would have given her life to protect them.

"We've got each other," Hawthorn tried defending himself and his group. Honeypaw shot him a glare.

"No, you have a lawless group."

Hawthorn looked like he wanted to say something else when he thought better of it. Instead his lips curled in annoyance and he padded away, tail flicking from side to side. Honeypaw held back a sigh of relief, thankful to be alone for once. She took one step forward and winced, suddenly aware of the wounds Hawthorn had inflicted on her.

It took Honeypaw several heartbeats for her to finally stand up once again. She slowly made her way to a puddle, only to gasp at her own reflection.

Staring back at her was a cat who looked as if they'd seen better days. Long scratch marks could be seen along her shoulders and neck. Luckily Hawthorn had avoided hurting her face, but that was only because she had kept her distance.

"Honeypaw!" She flinched at the sound of Raven's voice. Honeypaw turned in time to see his gaze boring into hers. "Stars, what happened?" he asked in shock.

"I stumbled and tripped into a pile of thistle," she lied with ease. "Guess it just took a while for me to break free."

Raven narrowed his eyes. He knew she was lying. Honeypaw felt shame crawl through her for a moment. Then she remembered the fact that her own father had lied to her. Her claws suddenly sheathed and unsheathed at the thought.

 _No wonder those kits tried to hurt me_ , she thought bitterly. _They think I'm trying to take their place_.

"Come on, let's take you to see Luna," he meowed. "I'm sure she can get that fixed."

Honeypaw was ready to argue about his statement when she thought better of it. She knew that if she went on like this any longer, her wounds would get infected. Staying out now would only increase the pain she'd already endured.

The two of them made their way slowly back to the cave. Honeypaw narrowed her eyes when she saw Hawthorn grooming himself nearby. He seemed oblivious to the fact that she had returned. But the look in his eyes when he paused told her that he had. She only glared back in response, tail whipping from side to side in the process.

Fortunately Luna was already there when Honeypaw and Raven arrived. Unfortunately her father happened to be there, along with Clover and the kits. Honeypaw's ears flattened at the sight of the 'happy' family.

"They're fine, Clover, just a bit of seasonal allergies is all," Luna reassured the over-anxious queen. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a more important task at paw."

Clover's mouth hung open, as if she was shocked that someone could be more important than her own kits. Than she turned and finally noticed Honeypaw leaning against Raven for support. Honeypaw only glared back at them.

"Honeypaw, what happened to you?" her father asked, eyes widening when he caught sight of her wounds.

"She got stuck in some thistles and tried clawing her way out," Raven answered before she could explain herself.

Her father didn't look as if he believed Raven's story. Luckily he didn't argue. He glanced at Clover before giving a flick of his tail goodbye and padding out of the tunnel. Honeypaw held back a sigh of relief once they were gone.

"Okay, something is clearly going on here," Luna meowed after noticing the tension between Clover and Honeypaw. "What happened?"

"Hawthorn attacked me," Honeypaw murmured. Raven stared at her in disbelief as she explained what had happened between them. "It was my fault... I was taunting him and got myself into this mess."

"This shouldn't go by unpunished!" Raven hissed angrily. "Hawthorn has always been a bit too aggressive for my liking."

"No, don't," she protested before Raven could leave the den. Both Raven and Luna looked at her in surprise. "Getting him in trouble will only make things worse. I-I'd rather just get my wounds checked out and move on."

 _And possibly leave_ , she added silently. _I can't stay here_... _not with so many secrets that are being kept_.

"Alright," Luna sighed in defeat. "Let me just gather my herbs, it might take a while for those wounds to heal," she murmured.

Honeypaw nodded in understanding. She just wanted to get this done and over with. The sooner she was out of this den, the sooner she could decide what to do next. She wasn't sure if she wanted to stay here now. Not when her father had betrayed her like this.

* * *

 **AN: I'm sorry this chapter was so much shorter, and for not posting as quickly as I normally do. But this is mostly a filler chapter, and I wanted to get it posted before I forgot ^^**

 **Broken of Towering Trees - I'd love to, but unfortunately I barely have the time to update like I used to, or read for that matter. I prefer reading stories that have already been finished as well, if you've noticed by my profile XD**

 **Apple pie - Blazestrike is a bit of a coward when it comes to admitting his love... and that will be explained later ;) And I think everyone claims there's a ghost in the basement :P What happened in our basement is real though.. a plumber was working on the pipes, and for some reason one of the pipes started spinning on it's own. He couldn't put it back where it belonged, and thought someone was pulling a trick on him. Turns out he was in there alone so... yeah. You can imagine how freaked out he was at that point :P**

 **badguthrie - Not all ghosts are bad. Some of them just like to pull pranks on people, I think. And ours is quite friendly, she just likes to make sure nothing is going wrong in the house.**

 **Berrysplash - Lol I do have that tendency, don't I? I love surprising my readers, especially when it comes to bad news :P And thanks, I don't think my writing is that good, but it's nice to hear some positive feedback :)**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - Yep, poor Honeypaw's in for it now. And Hawthorn has to be my favorite out of the cave cats, for many reasons. Though Luna is a close second ;)**


	13. Chapter Twelve

" _Look at the stars, Look how they shine for you, And everything you do, Yeah, they were all yellow..._ " - Yellow, Coldplay

 **CHAPTER TWELVE**

Cold water dripped down Honeypaw's nose. She stretched herself out across the cool stone, drinking in the scent of herbs.

She had been stuck in this den for at least three days. Luna had told her that the wounds were much worse than she'd anticipated. Everyone had stopped by to visit in those three days, much to Honeypaw's surprise and annoyance. Everyone that was, except for her father.

 _He'd avoiding me_ , she realized. _He knows that I saw him_.

Slowly but surely Honeypaw dragged herself to her paws, teeth grinding in pain as she did so. Luna had given her some poppy seeds, but only enough to dull the pain. Apparently it wasn't a good idea to take so many at a time.

"I wouldn't leave if I were you." Honeypaw froze at the sound of Luna's voice. She turned to see the dark gray she-cat standing there, herbs in her mouth as she placed them in a pile nearby. "It's not a good idea, not with those wounds still recovering."

"I'm tired of being stuck in one place," Honeypaw groaned.

"I've noticed." Luna smirked in amusement before padding over to her side. "Is that why you left the Clans? You couldn't stand being there because you felt trapped... like there was something more out there for you."

For a moment, Honeypaw wasn't sure how to react when Luna had said that. Her once amber eyes were now a cloudy blue gaze. Honeypaw stared at her in shock, not quite sure what to say. The moment only lasted for just that, a moment. Luna blinked, and her eyes returned to normal.

"I-I guess you may have a point," she murmured halfheartedly.

"Good," Luna purred. "I'm going out to gather some more herbs before we leave for the cold season."

Honeypaw looked at Luna as if she was crazy. Leave? Why would anyone want to leave this forest? It was always bustling with life, even during the colder nights.

"I can't leave," she whispered. "Why would you want to?"

"It's our tradition," Luna explained with a shrug. "Every cold season why find another cave to sleep in where it's warmer, and the prey runs more. It keeps us stronger and healthier."

 _That still doesn't make sense_ , Honeypaw wanted to say out loud, but dared not to. She suspected that this sense of leaving had been deep rooted in these cats long before she was even born. She wondered for a moment if her father would be joining them on their journey. Or if he would stay behind with Clover and her kits.

She shook her head at the thought, knowing that thinking about it would only make things more painful. Her father had lied to her, and she could never forgive that.

"Hey, are you feeling any better?" Honeypaw was shaken from her thoughts by the sound of Raven's voice. She turned to look at him, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Well, I don't know," she admitted. "My mind keeps playing tricks on me. It tells me that I want to stay here, while my heart... I feel as if there is so much more the world has to offer."

"You miss the Clans, don't you?" Raven's question was more of a statement than anything else. Honeypaw flinched and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I do miss them. I miss belonging somewhere, and living by the warrior code. Here there is none, and I feel as if I'm trapped again," she tried explaining.

Relief washed over her when Raven nodded in understanding. Of all the cave cats she had met, Raven was the kindest. He was always there for her when she needed someone to talk to. Maybe he was even more than just a friend at some point. But Honeypaw knew that his heart lay with the cave cats. He wouldn't choose to stay, just for her.

...

"Everyone gather around to hear what I have to say." Honeypaw held back a groan at he sound of her father's voice. She slowly rose to her paws and watched as the group gathered obediently around him. "The cold season will soon be upon us," he began once everyone was gathered around him. "It is time we left this cave and found fresher hunting grounds. Luna has already gathered her traveling herbs, and everyone must have a partner during this journey."

Unease flashed through Honeypaw when his gaze fell upon her. Clover was already making her way towards him. Hawthorn stood alongside Moss, Honeypaw noticed that a small group of cats had formed an almost perfect circle to show who they were traveling with.

"It's safer that way," Raven informed her when her father was finished speaking. "Otherwise a fox or badger might pick us off."

"I'm not sure if this is safer," Honeypaw murmured thoughtfully. "Raven, I can't go with you."

Raven looked at her as if she had grown wings. She had already warned him that she wouldn't leave the forest. The Clan might not accept her again, but at least she had established a home here. This cave had provided her with all the shelter she needed.

"I-I was hoping you were joking," he admitted.

"What?" Honeypaw asked in disbelief. "I rarely joke, especially when it comes to situations like this." Honeypaw paused to let this sink in. The hurt in Raven's eyes only made her feel guiltier. "I'm sorry, Raven. You've been more of a friend to me than anyone else I've ever met. I'll never forget what you've done for me."

She left him before he could say anything else. Her head was hung low as she made her way towards the cave exit. What she wasn't expecting was to find her father stepping in her way. Honeypaw's lips curled up in the beginning of a snarl as she looked at him.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"I thought you would be joining us," he replied, sounding a bit sheepish and shocked by her sudden coldness.

"Oh, and go with you and your new family?" she retorted, shooting a glare at Clover and her kits. The glare was returned by all of them, and a sudden sense of unease rippled through the crowd. "Why couldn't you just tell me that you'd moved on? Why couldn't you just tell me the truth?"

"Because I was afraid!" he suddenly blurted out. "I was afraid of what the Clan would say or do if they ever found out."

Honeypaw's stomach churned with anxiety as she saw everyone watching them. They were clearly aware that something serious had happened to her father in his past. Something that he did not wish to share with any of them. Only Clover seemed to know that something was wrong, her eyes dark with worry.

"Maybe we better talk about this alone," she suggested after a moment of silence followed.

 _Oh, so that the others don't know what he's done_? Honeypaw wondered bitterly. She looked at Clover reluctantly, but knew that now wasn't the best time to argue. Silently she padded after her father as he led the way into the Star Cave. She had always expected him to stay here when she first arrived. But now she knew better. Once they were inside, that familiar sense of unease caused her fur to bristle slightly.

"I can't believe that I trusted you," Honeypaw spat the moment they were away from prying ears.

"Honeypaw, would you please just listen to me?" her father begged while Clover sat beside him. Honeypaw watched her in disgust, wondering how her father could fall for such a cat. "At one point I did love your mother. I was loyal to the Clan, to the warrior code. But that all changed when I met Clover. She's taught me that there is more to this world than we could ever have imagined."

"So you just abandoned me and my brothers?" Honeypaw let out a hiss of frustration. By now Clover was looking down at her paws in embarrassment.

 _Good, she should feel sorry for herself_.

"Your mother was beginning to change a few days after you were born," her father went on, ignoring her accusing question. "I could see her temper rising whenever she saw you... I couldn't bare to watch any longer. I did plan on taking you to grow up with Clover and the rest of these cats, but life had different paths."

"No, you just took the lazy way out," she snapped.

Before he could say anything else, she stood up and stormed out of the den. She was beginning to see why Sagewind had never talked about him. Her mother had never said a word about him, but Whiteberry had always said that he was a brave and loyal cat. Now she understood that Whiteberry was only trying to protect her from the truth.

By the time she reached the main cave, everyone was already gathered near the entrance watching her expectantly. Their faces fell though when they realized it was just her. Honeypaw only rolled her eyes at their reactions.

 _What a bunch of mousebrains_ , she thought angrily.

"Where are you going?" Hawthorn demanded in a growl.

Honeypaw simply ignored him and shoved him to the side when he barred her path. She was no longer afraid of this foxheart. He could try doing whatever he wanted to scare her, but it wouldn't work. It was time to leave these cats, and find her place back in the Clans where she belonged.

"She's going home," she heard Raven whisper.

Honeypaw paused for a brief moment before looking over at him. He stood by himself, tail wrapped around his paws while his eyes grew dark with worry. A sudden sense of loneliness washed over her.

If she had chosen to stay, than maybe they would become more than just friends. She could already imagine tiny bundles of fur at her belly. But the thought was washed away when she thought of home and her Clanmates. Despite the fact that they had accused her of killing Whiteberry, she was determined to get back home.

* * *

 **AN: So there's the next chapter. Don't worry, this is not the last you'll be seeing of the cave cats. They hold an important future for the plot later chapters. Anywho, thanks everyone for your reviews, they mean a lot ;) I am actually three-to-four chapters ahead in this story, but I won't be posting until I get at least three or four reviews this time.**

 **Badguthrie - It's okay, I know the feeling. And Hawthorn is mean, but he has his reasons. He's still my favorite out of the cave cats.**

 **Apple Pie - Thanks! I try my best not to make readers bored when reading stories. Interesting plot twists are always fun to add in.**

 **Berrysplash - Awe, thank you! Yeah, I Promise probably could have ended better than it did, but I really wanted to get it finished. And start something a little different. I don't have any books planned for the future, but that doesn't mean I won't be writing anything new or different ;)**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

Morning sunlight filtered through the broad leaves as Honeypaw made her way through the undergrowth. She wasn't used to traveling by daylight anymore. Perhaps she should have found a nest to stay in for the day. But determination had kept her going forward. Despite her exhaustion, she could feel strength and confidence in her stride. She was stronger than she had been. Living among the cave cats had given her the chance to grow stronger.

Birdsong filled the air. An insect buzzed around her ear, causing her to flick it in annoyance. A cool breeze brushed against her fur. For the first time, Honeypaw was beginning to realize how much she had missed the forest by day. The cave cats had spent so much time in the darkness, that they rarely got to see the beauty of morning or day.

It hadn't taken her long to reach TreeClan territory in a matter of no time. Their rich scents were still buried deep within her senses. She would never forget the first time she had seen her first TreeClan cat. And she guessed that it wouldn't be the last either.

With that thought in mind, Honeypaw forced herself to hurry until finally she had reached the border. Her heart rose with excitement when she picked up the familiar scent of PineClan. Than another, more fearful thought rose in her mind.

 _What if they don't want me back_? she wondered. It had been at least two moons since she left them. They might not even remember what she looked like. Than again, she did look just like her father. They had to remember her; at least Tinystar would.

Relief washed over Honeypaw as she padded through the familiar undergrowth. Pine needles tickled her pads, something she had not felt for a long time. For a moment nostalgia suddenly took over, and she felt like a kit again. But it only lasted for that, and a new determination washed over her. She was on her way home. And nothing would stop her.

...

Honeypaw's shoulders were numb with exhaustion by the time she reached PineClan territory. Her whiskers twitched with anxiety as she looked around. She knew that patrols were frequent in this part of the forest. She just hoped they didn't see her as a threat.

By the time she reached the training area it was close to sunhigh. Honeypaw's ears pricked forward when she caught the sound of apprentices sparring. Her heart soared with hope when she saw Mallowstalk working with an older looking Ivykit.

 _Have I really been gone that long_? Honeypaw wondered as she pictured Ivykit looking much younger. Whiteberry's kits had only been four moons old when she left. Then again, she had been gone for almost two moons now. Time had really flown when she was back in the caves.

"I smell in intruder!" Ivykit, or Ivypaw, as Honeypaw assumed, mewed with excitement.

"Ivypaw, we don't just go rushing into battle," Mallowstalk sighed in annoyance. Clearly he had his paws full with Ivypaw. Honeypaw held back a purr of amusement when Ivypaw suddenly ran up to her, eyes widening in surprise.

"Who are you?" the little gray and black ball of fur demanded.

"Honeypaw?" Mallowstalk asked at the same time. His eyes widened in shock and recognition. Honeypaw nodded, her tail flicking from side to side as she studied the two. Neither of them had changed much. "We-We all thought you were dead."

Honeypaw recoiled in shock at that statement. She had expected them to say something along those lines. But what Mallowstalk said hurt her more than she would ever care to admit.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that," she muttered crossly. "I'm sure Pricklenose and the others encouraged that belief."

Her heart twisted with anger at the thought of Pricklenose and her mother. They had always been cruel to her, along with the other apprentices. Why did she bother returning when she knew what it would bring her?

 _Because I can't stay with my father_ , she thought bitterly. _He's nothing but a liar and a coward_.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but we should take you to see Sparrowclaw," Mallowstalk meowed after narrowing his eyes in concern. Ivypaw stood next to him, her fur bristling slightly. "Ivypaw, go and warn the Clan to what has happened. But don't tell them that she's a threat, Honeypaw is a guest."

Ivypaw looked like she was ready to argue when she thought better of it. Her whiskers twitched irritably before she bounded ahead of them. Honeypaw shook her head in frustration, wondering how Ivypaw and her siblings could have forgotten her so quickly.

"How is the Clan doing?" she asked once Ivypaw was gone.

"Not bad," Mallowstalk replied as he led the way. "Rainpool moved into the nursery, her kits are going to be due in a moon or two. Your brother is close to having his warrior assessment."

Honeypaw felt her blood run cold at the mention of her brother. She had never felt anything towards Sunpaw, anything but anger. He was the worst of them all. And she was going back to him. She just hoped that she was ready.

They padded on in awkward silence. Honeypaw was thankful for that; she needed time to think of what she would do now. The Clan wouldn't be happy that she was back. Tinystar might stand up for her, but everyone else would likely argue against her.

By the time they reached camp, the sun was beginning to set. Relief washed over Honeypaw when she picked up familiar scents in the air. Mallowstalk was a few tail-lengths ahead of her. It was strange, thinking that she was back home. Yet a sense of anxiety gnawed at her belly.

"Mallowstalk, is it true?" Honeypaw's heart nearly skipped a beat at the sound of Tinystar's voice. She watched the PineClan leader with wide eyes when Tinystar's gaze met hers. "Honeypaw, you really are alive!" she gasped.

"Yes," Honeypaw replied, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"I-We all thought you were dead," Tinystar whispered.

"Well, obviously I wasn't," Honeypaw retorted. "I just... got lost... I had to find myself again."

It wasn't easy explaining what she had been through in the last two moons. Luckily Mallowstalk had left them to keep the Clan from interfering. Tinystar's eyes widened when Honeypaw mentioned where her father was, and what he had done. She understood Honeypaw's anger, and the sense of betrayal rushing through her.

"Blazestrike ran away right after you were born," Tinystar meowed after a few heartbeats of silence had followed. "I always knew that something was off about him."

"So... what now?" Honeypaw looked at her leader anxiously.

"Now, it is time to resume your training, and return to the Clan," Tinystar murmured. "The Clan won't be happy, but at least they will know that you are alive."

Honeypaw saw something flash in Tinystar's eyes. Clearly something had gone wrong since she was gone. She wondered if the Clan still blamed her for Whiteberry's death. After all, it wasn't like most of them wanted her around.

She held back a sigh of anxiety as she followed Tinystar through the camp's entrance. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully when she saw that most of the Clan was already gathered in the clearing. Some of them were eyeing her suspiciously, while others had looks of shock in their eyes. Tinystar flicked her tail and trotted across the clearing to join Mallowstalk and Sparrowclaw. The medicine cat looked almost relieved, and Honeypaw tilted her head to one side curiously.

"What is _she_ doing here?" She recognized Sunpaw's voice.

Honeypaw turned in time to see him glaring at her from the apprentice's den. Sunpaw had grown since she'd last seen him. Muscles now showed under his thick golden pelt. He had a scar over his right eye from what she assumed to be a fight. But that wasn't the most startling change she had seen. It was how similar he looked to their father that struck her the most.

 _Clover's kits look nothing like him_ , she realized. She wondered if she should tell him the truth. It wouldn't make him get along with her any easier. But at least he would know what had happened.

"Honeypaw has returned to resume her warrior training," Tinystar explained after several questions arose following Sunpaw's scornful question. "I understand that we have believed that she was killed, but obviously that is not true. Honeypaw is alive, and she will forever have a place in PineClan."

Relief washed over Honeypaw's shoulders when no one argued. Instead she noticed that several cats looked almost happy with Tinystar's decisions. She wondered how much she had missed over the last two moons. Between Whiteberry's kits becoming apprentices, to Lunepaw becoming a warrior, she was certain there was more she had missed.

"It's good to have you back," Nightfur murmured when the black she-cat approached her. "I was worried that somehow it was my fault you wouldn't return."

"Why would that be?" Honeypaw asked. She knew that Nightfur had always been stern on Lunepaw. There had to be some reason behind it.

"No cat deserves to go through what those apprentices did to you," Nightfur replied, her voice grim. "The moment I found out what Lunefeather was doing, I punished her. She's gotten better, but I know that she still holds resentment towards you."

 _Of course she does_ , Honeypaw thought bitterly. Lunefeather and Sunpaw were a lot alike. The two of them had never liked her. They chose every moment they had to make her life miserable. Now that Lunefeather was a warrior, she knew things would only get worse between them.

"Thank you, for trying to support me," Honeypaw sighed.

She backed away, still unsure of whether to trust the older cat or not. Nightfur had never stood up to her before. Sure she had punished Lunefeather for her actions, but at what cost?

"Leafbare is approaching us quickly," she heard Pricklenose hiss. "I can't believe Tinystar is letting that useless furball back into the Clan with so many bellies we already have to feed."

"I wouldn't say that too loudly," Sagewind muttered crossly. "My daughter betrayed us when she killed Whiteberry. It's time she paid the price."

Fear wormed it's way into Honeypaw's belly. Her heart was beating so fast that she was certain the others could hear it. Would they really hurt her for something she didn't do? Tinystar had said that the Clan knew she wasn't responsible for Whiteberry's death. Her mother was just using Whiteberry's death as an excuse.

She shot her mother a glare before skirting away from the group she had formed. It consisted of Pricklenose, Lunefeather and Sunpaw. Of course Sunpaw would be part of the group. She had a feeling that he would be trouble in the future.

* * *

 **AN: I'm sorry for the long delay. It's been a rough few weeks, but I should update the next chapter within a couple of days. And this chapter was hopefully a bit more interesting than the last.**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

"That's it, use your paws to keep me from escaping!" Tinystar's yowl rang in Honeypaw's ears as she easily overwhelmed her in fighting practice.

The smaller she-cat seemed even more so under Honeypaw's weight. She was surprised by how much she had grown over the moons. Her time in the caves had given her experience that the Clans could never provide. And that made her stronger. Tinystar was the first to realize Honeypaw's strength in combat.

"I can't believe how easy that was," Honeypaw crowed after letting Tinystar up.

She was no longer out of breath like she had been. Her lungs were clear of whatever ailments the forest had given her. That alone had given her hope that perhaps she really did have a better future out here.

"You've grown into a fine apprentice," Tinystar purred. "It won't be long now before your final assessment approaches."

Honeypaw held back a whoop of joy at the thought of becoming a warrior. She never thought she would become one after joining the cave cats. Now Tinystar was giving her a second chance, and she knew that she couldn't blow this one off.

She followed Tinystar back to camp soon after their training session was over. A blanket of snow had fallen the previous night, the first of the season. Honeypaw had always wondered what snow would look like. Now she understood that it was just cold, wet stuff that stuck to the ground and made things even trickier.

"Looks to me like the weakling doesn't even deserve to be a warrior." Honeypaw stiffened at the sound of Lunefeather's voice. "I can't believe Tinystar let you back into the Clan. You're nothing but a foxhearted traitor," she added in a hiss.

"And you're any better?" Honeypaw retorted. She remembered the way Hawthorn had treated her, and how she had stood up to him. Honeypaw raised her chin and glared back at Lunefeather defiantly. "You can make all the accusations you want, it won't get you anywhere."

The gray and white she-cat blinked in surprise at Honeypaw's comeback. Clearly she wasn't expecting Honeypaw to say anything against her words. A sudden sense of courage rushed through Honeypaw as she met Lunefeather's gaze. For a moment Lunefeather wanted to say something, than she closed her mouth and thought better of it. Instead she simply glared and stalked away.

 _Well, that went better than I expected_ , Honeypaw thought gleefully. Maybe now Lunefeather would finally stop teasing her. Now she had her mother and the rest of those who wished her gone to deal with. Her stomach churned with anxiety at the thought. She knew they had something planned, but she wasn't sure exactly what that something was.

A cold breeze ruffled the back of Honeypaw's fur as she reached the fresh-kill pile. She was half tempted to grab something from the pile, but than she noticed how depleted it looked. Honeypaw looked around warily before picking a scrawny looking mouse to take to the elders. At least she knew they would get fed before she ate anything first.

"Just once I'd like to get a good sleep before those youngin's stop by," she heard Hazelfur grumble. Blackstripe was busy sunning himself while she complained. Normally Hazelfur was in good spirits, but the cold weather had probably made her bones achy. Honeypaw had heard that the elders would often complain about the cold.

"Don't mind Hazelfur," Blackstripe purred when Honeypaw approached him. "Is that a mouse?" His eyes lit up when he caught sight of her mouse.

"Yes, I brought it... just in case you were hungry," Honeypaw replied, feeling slightly embarrassed that she had intruded on them.

To her relief, Blackstripe accepted the mouse gratefully and shared it with Hazelfur. She knew the elders would often refuse to eat so that the rest of the Clan would. Whiteberry had told her that they would if prey was scarce. But the elders were always tended to before anyone else. Honeypaw would make sure of that.

"Thank you, it has been a while since I've had fresh mouse," Hazelfur purred.

Honeypaw knew that she was lying. The mouse was anything but fresh. But it was better than nothing.

"I'm going to see if there's any prey left in the forest," Honeypaw decided out loud. "Is there anything in particular you want?" Hazelfur only blinked in amusement while Blackstripe flicked his tail across her ears playfully.

"The mouse is more than enough," he replied. "Don't stress yourself out."

She knew that Blackstripe was lying. Judging by his thin pelt and dull eyes, he hadn't eaten for some time now. She guessed that he was giving Hazelfur what little prey the Clan had caught. The younger elder seemed more plump and had more life in her eyes.

"I'll be back," she promised before slipping away from the elder's den.

The cold air had driven away most of the prey. Honeypaw could see why the cave cats wanted to leave. But the Clans had thrived for generations, even with the impending leafbare that threatened their lives. She now understood that the Clans depended on one another for survival during leafbare.

"Where are you off to?" Mistycloud's voice rang through the air, and Honeypaw noticed that she was busy grooming herself while Lunefeather chatted nearby. Normally the two sisters were always together, but Honeypaw had noticed that they seemed more distant than usual.

"I thought the fresh-kill pile could use some restocking," Honeypaw admitted. "I wanted to go hunting before nightfall."

Though she did her best hunting at nightfall, admittedly. Her training with the cave cats had encouraged hunting in dark places. Mistycloud eyed her curiously before dropping down to all four paws.

"I'll join you," she decided. "I could use the fresh air."

Honeypaw eyed her suspiciously, wondering what plans Mistycloud had in mind. Lately she had been watching her shoulder every time she was on patrol with someone. Just the other day Sunpaw had tried hurting her because she had slowed the patrol down. Fortunately she had only gotten away with a scratch on her leg.

"I suppose an extra nose couldn't hurt," Honeypaw muttered.

Mistycloud nodded enthusiastically before leading the way out of camp. It was oddly quiet as they trekked through the snow. Honeypaw kept a fair distance from Mistycloud, checking the air for any prey-scents every now and than.

Eventually Honeypaw was drawn towards an oddly familiar scent. Her whiskers twitched with interest; she recognized the scent of vole anywhere. She looked at Mistycloud hopefully, but older she-cat seemed distracted at the moment. Honeypaw took her distraction as a cue to move forward.

She dropped down to a crouch and eyed the vole cautiously. It was nosing through the remaining pine cones that weren't covered in snow. She remembered what Tinystar had said about voles. They were just like mice, and sensitive to their surroundings. One wrong step would send them running in the opposite direction.

Carefully she took a few steps before suddenly leaping forward. The vole had detected her presence, but Honeypaw was faster. She managed to stretch out her claws until they hooked on the vole and knocked the wind out of it. Once the vole had stopped, Honeypaw delivered a killing blow.

"Wow, great catch!" Mistycloud exclaimed. "Though I don't think we'll be finding anything else."

"Not after all that noise," Honeypaw put in.

"Honeypaw, how was life like outside the Clan?" Mistycloud's question caught Honeypaw by surprise. Honeypaw blinked a few times before thinking fast of an answer.

"Well, it wasn't easy at first," she admitted. "But once I adjusted to life outside the Clan, it wasn't too difficult."

 _It helps that I ran into the cave cats_ , she added silently. She hadn't told the Clan about them yet. Partly she was afraid of how they would react. But she was mostly afraid of what her mother would say if she found out father was alive.

"I've always wanted to explore beyond the forest," Mistycloud mused. "Lunefeather says I'm mousebrained for thinking like that."

"Lunefeather is the mousebrain," Honeypaw muttered under her breath. Mistycloud eyed her warily, and Honeypaw realized that she had heard her. "Er, I mean... she's just annoyed that you're nicer than her. And more popular."

"Well... it's just a thought anyways," Mistycloud murmured, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I suppose that I've just been overthinking the way of Clan life."

Honeypaw looked down at her paws doubtfully as Mistycloud padded away. She knew that Lunefeather was tough on her sister. Mistycloud had always stood up for her when she was being tormented by the other apprentices. Now that Lunefeather was a warrior, things had probably gotten worse between them.

She held back a sigh at the thought, knowing that it wasn't in her place to ask what was wrong.

Mistycloud was already a few fox-lengths ahead when she stopped in her tracks. Honeypaw stiffened when she recognized the place they had reached. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight of a valley looming ahead of them.

Memories of the day when Scorchkit died were still fresh. She could still picture his body, broken and battered on the ground. The badger loomed over them, massive jaws gaping open as it tried hurting them.

"Are you okay?" Honeypaw blinked at Mistycloud's question. She hadn't realized until now that her body was trembling. It wasn't from the cold. Her chest was heaving with effort as she gazed out across the valley, now covered in snow.

"Do you think the stories are true?" Honeypaw asked. Mistycloud's tail flicked in concern, but she didn't answer right away. "About the spirits of those who were killed here?"

"I don't know," Mistycloud admitted. "I've only heard stories from the elders, that they rise on the night of no moon. It's just a silly story to scare the kits, though."

Honeypaw eyed the valley doubtfully. Something told her that there was more to these stories than anyone understood. She shook her head at the thought. Some things were better left unsaid. Maybe the forest cats weren't meant to know what really lay here. And maybe they were better off that way.

* * *

 **AN: This chapter was fun to write :) And the update didn't take quite as long. Again, I have to apologize for my lack of updates. It's not that I've lost interest in writing, I just haven't had the time to update...**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

"Sunpaw, Honeypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Tinystar's words rang in her ears as Honeypaw leaned forward with anticipation.

"I do," she replied.

"I do," Sunpaw replied with equal amounts of enthusiasm.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Sunpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Sunclaw. StarClan honors you for your bravery and valor, and we welcome you as a full member of PineClan."

Sunclaw's chest puffed out with pride when Tinystar pressed her muzzle against his forehead. He gave her shoulder a respectful lick, the first signs of respect Honeypaw had ever seen in her brother. Sunclaw was usually much more outspoken and self-righteous to do anything else.

"Honeypaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Honeysong. StarClan honors you for your stamina and willpower, and we welcome you as a full member of PineClan."

A sense of pride washed over Honeysong as her tongue brushed against Tinystar's shoulder. She had passed her warrior assessment with flying colors. Tinystar was more than impressed with how much more skilled she had gotten.

"I knew you could do it," Tinystar added under her breath.

"Sunclaw! Honeysong! Sunclaw! Honeysong!" The Clan cheered their names.

Honeysong's ears flattened in embarrassment when she realized they weren't cheering her name as loudly. She noticed Sagewind seemed to be calling Sunclaw's name only, along with Lightfeather, Lunefeather and Pricklenose.

"Congratulations," Nightfur purred. "I'm sure you two will make fine warriors."

"I'll make the best," Sunclaw boasted, puffing out his chest with pride. Honeysong only rolled her eyes in response. "I'll be much better than you, furball," he added to Honeysong.

"Now you must sit vigil," Tinystar meowed, ignoring Sunclaw's comments. "It's going to be cold out tonight, but I'm sure that you will pull through."

Just as she said that, a cold chill swept through the camp. Honeysong resisted the urge to shiver, fluffing out her fur against the cold. Only a day had passed since her chat with Mistycloud. With prey in short supply, she was amazed that she had passed the hunting assessment at all.

With that being said, Honeysong found her place at the camp's entrance. Sunclaw sat not far away, washing his whiskers in content. Honeysong held back a sigh as she watched him. This was going to be a long, cold night.

...

"Alright you two, it's time to get some rest." Relief washed over Honeysong's shoulders when Mallowstalk had approached them.

Their vigil had been mostly quiet. At one point Honeysong had noticed that Sunclaw was fast asleep on his paws. She didn't bother saying anything against him. Telling Tinystar would only encourage the other warriors to call her a coward.

"Rainpool's kits are coming!" Honeysong stiffened at the sound of Cliffclaw's voice.

Rainpool should have had her kits a moon ago, according to Sparrowclaw. But apparently they had a different plan in mind. Honeysong slowly made her way towards the nursery where Sparrowclaw had disappeared to. Cliffclaw was waiting anxiously outside, his tail twitching every now and than.

A yowl of pain sounded from within the nursery, causing both Cliffclaw and Honeysong to jump. Honeysong glanced towards the nursery anxiously. She knew from the stories that kitting during leafbare could have deadly outcomes. She and Sunclaw had been born during leafbare as well.

"Is something wrong?" Cliffclaw asked when Sparrowclaw rushed out of the nursery.

"Don't go in there just yet... Honeysong, I need you to grab a branch, the biggest you can find," Sparrowclaw ordered.

Honeysong nodded before heeding his orders. She had never witnessed kits being born before. When Whiteberry's kits were born, that had only been a couple of moons after she and her brothers were.

She let out a huff of breath once she was outside the camp. A pile of branches were seen nearby, and she quickly grabbed it. Once the branch was grasped between her teeth, she bounded back into camp to find Sparrowclaw inside the nursery once again. What she saw next sent shivers of dread through her.

Rainpool was laying across a mossy nest lined with feathers. Blood seeped onto the nest, lots of it. Honeysong glanced at Sparrowclaw anxiously as he took the branch and gave it to Rainpool, instructing her to bite down on it.

"Just keep breathing like I told you, and push when I say," Sparrowclaw meowed as Rainpool let out another wail. "Push!"

Honeysong could only watch helplessly as a shudder ran through Rainpool's body. There was so much blood. Sparrowclaw had tried cleaning up whatever he could with cobwebs. But that didn't seem to be enough.

"She'll be okay, won't she?" Honeysong's voice had dropped to a whisper.

She knew that Cliffclaw was trying to listen in on them. The look Sparrowclaw gave her told her everything she needed to know. Honeysong bowed her head when she realized that they could only let StarClan do the rest.

"The first kit is here... Honeysong, lick it's fur the wrong way," Sparrowclaw told her after handing over the first kit.

She accepted the kit without hesitation. It's fur was still warm, but she couldn't hear any mewling. Horror surged through her when she realized that it was already dead. The second kit had arrived in the same manner. Sparrowclaw had lapped it's fur the wrong way, only to find it stillborn. Finally the third kit had arrived, this time it was alive. Honeysong's shoulders sagged, and she suddenly felt Rainpool's exhaustion as her own.

"Three kits," Honeysong breathed out. Her heart clenched with pity when Rainpool's breathing grew more ragged with each passing heartbeat.

"Rainpool..." Cliffclaw's voice made her stiffen as she backed away, letting the kit fall into place at Rainpool's belly. "Please, why does StarClan have to do this to me?"

"Cliffclaw, stop," Sparrowclaw warned him. "Rainpool has lost too much blood. This was not StarClan's fault."

Shame crawled through Honeysong as she watched them. Had this been her fate, she wondered if father would had left the Clans for another she-cat. He might have stayed with Sagewind, and she might have actually been happy.

"This was all your fault than!" Cliffclaw hissed, glaring at Sparrowclaw. Honeysong only shook her head, wondering what had caused such tension between them. "Their mother is dead because of you!"

"Stop it!" Honeysong yowled over Cliffclaw's arguments. The dark brown tom's eyes widened in shock. "All this arguing isn't going to help you. Or your kit," she snapped. "You still have one kit who's alive."

"I don't have any kits," Cliffclaw snapped.

Before either of them could say anything, Cliffclaw pushed his way past Honeysong and out of the den. Her heart sank as she watched him leave. Sparrowclaw let out a sigh once Cliffclaw was gone.

"I should have known something like this would happen," Sparrowclaw murmured after glancing at Rainpool's now still body. "Rainpool was carrying her kits for too long."

"What are we going to do about the kit who's still alive?" Honeysong asked.

"Lightfeather is moving into the nursery tomorrow," Sparrowclaw explained. "I will ask her if she can watch over the kit. Until than, we need someone who can."

Honeysong looked at the fluffy gray-brown mottled kit thoughtfully. She had never imagined what her life would be like if she had kits. Now, she had that chance.

"I'll look after her," she decided. "At least until Lightfeather is capable."

Sparrowclaw nodded in agreement. He along with Bumblepelt had returned to clean out the nursery. The stench of blood was almost overwhelming. Honeysong flinched when she realized that she would have to use the same nest Rainpool had been using.

She eyed the kit curiously once everything was said and done. Though she had only just become a warrior, she knew how important kits were to the Clan. Their very survival was what had kept the Clans going throughout each generation.

"I'll name you Dawnkit," she murmured sleepily. Dawnkit let out a mew as if agreeing with her. Something told her that she would be spending more time in here than she thought possible.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

Dawnkit mewled and wriggled at Honeysong's belly, and she wished that she had milk to share with the poor kit. Fortunately Lightfeather would be moving into the nursery today. Whether she would accept Dawnkit or not was a whole other question though. Sparrowclaw had said that she would, but would she treat Dawnkit like a normal kit? That was Honeysong's worst fear.

 _I can't let anything happen to you_ , she thought as she kept an eye on Dawnkit. It only felt like moons ago when she was a kit herself. And now Dawnkit was in a similar position to hers. Cliffclaw wanted nothing to do with her, not after what had happened to Rainpool and the rest of his kits. He had abandoned Dawnkit after she was born. Now it was her job to watch over the small and helpless kit.

"I promise, I won't let anything happen to you," she whispered, closing her eyes as she rested her head on her paws.

...

Yowls sounded in the forest, jolting Honeysong from her morning nap. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around, only to find herself in the place she hated the most.

 _Why am I here_? she wondered as she gazed across the valley's slopes. To her surprise, there wasn't any snow covering them. Instead, the red stained grass seemed to flow in the breeze that had picked up. Her fur bristled with horror when she realized that it carried the stench of death and fear.

It wasn't until she had started moving forward that she caught sight of familiar bodies. Some of them were torn and battered to the point she could barely recognize them. Others looked as though they had only just been killed in battle. Honeysong recoiled at the sight, realizing that someone had done this on purpose.

"Whiteberry?" Honeysong's heart nearly skipped a beat when she caught sight of the former queen. Whiteberry was staring down at the body of Waspfang, eyes glistening with sorrow as she touched her muzzle to it.

"The fate of the Clan has been sealed," she whispered.

"What fate?" Honeysong demanded, her heart beating so fast that she was certain Whiteberry could hear it. Whiteberry finally met her gaze, eyes widening in surprise as if she wasn't expecting someone to see her.

"Honeysong, you aren't supposed to be here," she rasped. "How did this happen?"

"I-I don't know," Honeysong admitted. She hadn't realized until now that she was shaking. "Why is this happening?"

Whiteberry dropped her fiery gaze for a moment. Honeysong was almost afraid of what her answer would be. Something told her that this was what the future held for the Clan. And she was partly responsible for that future.

"This is what will happen if you continue going down this path," Whiteberry murmured. "You aren't meant to have kits. It isn't part of the future."

A cold chill swept through Honeysong when Whiteberry said that. For a moment she couldn't say anything, her mouth gaping open in shock. Whiteberry's image was already beginning to fade, along with the rest of her dream. Honeysong blinked a few times until her vision had cleared entirely.

Once again she found herself in the peaceful comforts of the nursery. Dawnkit was pressed against her belly, struggling to find any milk. Honeysong looked down at the kit, feeling guilty for not having any milk to provide.

"Are you okay?" Honeysong flinched at the sound of Sparrowclaw's voice.

He'd been checking on Dawnkit since she was born. To Honeysong's horror, he had said that kits who were born in situations like this weren't likely to survive. Dawnkit was so much smaller compared to the kits Honeysong had seen.

"It was just a bad dream," she lied, giving her chest fur a few quick licks. "How is she?" She tried dropping the subject, and fortunately Sparrowclaw seemed willing to oblige.

"She's hungry, but other than that she seems perfectly healthy," Sparrowclaw replied. Honeysong let out a sigh of relief she hadn't realized she was holding. "Lightfeather is on her way," he added in a warning tone.

For a moment, Honeysong wondered why he sounded so concerned as he backed away. Then she remembered the way Lightfeather had treated her when she was a kit. And still did at times. Lightfeather was one of Sagewind's best friends, it wouldn't surprise her if she rejected Dawnkit or treated her cruelly.

"Oh, you're still here," was all Lightfeather had said when she arrived. Honeysong narrowed her eyes at the older she-cat. "Let's just get one thing straight; I don't want to be here anymore than you do. This kit obviously needs help, and of course you aren't capable of providing it."

Honeysong flinched at the arrogance of Lightfeather's tone. She hated this cat more than she hated her own mother. Lightfeather was cruel with her words rather than her claws. Most of the Clan avoided her harsh tongue, but Honeysong seemed to endure the worst of it.

"I swear, if you hurt when hair on her pelt, I will flay you," Honeysong whispered under her breath.

 _You don't deserve to be a mother_ , she added silently as she backed away from the nursery. Dawnkit's wails sounded from inside, and her fur bristled with dread. Already the sense that she was abandoning Dawnkit had taken over. Then Whiteberry's words echoed in the back of her mind.

"You aren't meant to have kits..."

 _But I want to be a mother_ , Honeysong thought bitterly. She didn't even have a mate, or toms who were interested in her. The only tom who ever showed signs of caring for her had left the forest. She hadn't realized until now just how alone she was.

"Honeysong, now that you're out of the nursery, you can go on patrol with Pebblefur, Dustwhisker and Wingflight," Mallowstalk meowed when he reached her.

Honeysong resisted the urge to roll her eyes in response. She was a warrior now. As such she had responsibilities to tend to, even if she was going with her least favorite Clanmates.

She bounded over to the cats who were on the patrol. Wingflight shot her a scornful look while Dustwhisker's tail flicked irritably. Honeysong's ears flattened in embarrassment as she fell in behind them. This was not how she had wanted her day to go.

The forest was quiet for the most part. A few birds sang here and there. Honeysong could see the faint prints of prey that had scurried along the snow. Mice were a common sight during leafbare when it got slightly warmer out. They took advantage of the weather and tried to store food while they could.

"We're patrolling the TreeClan border," Dustwhisker meowed as they made their way towards a familiar ridge.

"I haven't seen any TreeClan cats in a while," Wingflight mused. "I bet they're just itching for a fight."

 _And you aren't_? Honeysong retorted silently.

Sure enough, the moment they had reached the border was when things had taken a turn for the worse.

Honeysong's fur stood on end when she caught sight of blood staining the snow. Feathers were scattered all over, and it didn't take long for her to realize what this was. She glanced uncertainly at Pebblefur as he took a step forward.

"They've been hunting on our land!" Pebblefur hissed.

"Of course they have," Dustwhisker snapped. "TreeClan cats can barely hunt in their own territory, so they try to intrude in ours."

Doubt clouded Honeysong's mind as she observed the clearing. She had a feeling there was more to this than they realized. TreeClan might be suffering from the cold leafbare.

"I think we should warn Tinystar," she murmured thoughtfully. "They might be suffering just as badly."

"Who cares what you think?" Wingflight retorted in a scornful tone.

"Every cat deserves an opinion," Pebblefur snapped. "Just because you think you're better doesn't mean you are."

Wingflight looked completely stunned that her brother would defend someone. Honeysong was equally surprised by his sudden intervention. Pebblefur had never stood up for her or anyone else for that matter before. Why would he start now?

She shook her head at the thought, knowing that asking wouldn't get her anywhere. Fortunately, Dustwhisker had the sense not to press on. Instead they returned to camp with news about the fresh-kill they had found. Tinystar was livid with what Dustwhisker had told her, and rightfully so.

"This isn't the first time TreeClan has done this," Mallowstalk growled.

"And it certainly won't be the last," Sunclaw added.

Honeysong threw her brother a glare. Of course Sunclaw would want to start a battle. Sunclaw had never fought in one, as far as she knew.

"I won't start a battle over something as foolish as this," Tinystar hissed over their voices. "We are in the middle of leafbare, and herbs along with prey are scarce as it is. We can't afford it."

Sunclaw looked like he was going to argue when he thought better of it. Instead his jaw tightened and he glared at Tinystar in response. Mallowstalk dipped his head respectfully, though even he looked annoyed with Tinystar's decision.

 _Tinystar is right_ , a voice agreed. _Leafbare has killed most of the herbs that Sparrowclaw collected_.

"I'm glad we don't have to fight anyone," Pebblefur sighed in relief. "Last battle nearly killed Wingflight." Honeysong looked at him in surprise. "You weren't here when TreeClan attacked us... they almost had us too, until Sunclaw came in and took down one of their best warriors," he explained warily.

Her eyes widened in horror at the mention of Sunclaw taking down a warrior. She knew her brother was violent. He always had been. But to the point of hurting someone so they couldn't fight back? Her fur bristled at the thought.

"Sunclaw... he scares me at times," Pebblefur suddenly added. "It's like he's a totally different cat during battle."

"He has always been that way," Honeysong muttered crossly. "Ever since we were kits, he picked on me just because I couldn't keep up with him."

And now things were only going to get worse. She knew now what kind of monster her brother was. Seeing the glare he was giving Tinystar told her everything she needed to know.

* * *

 **AN: Wow, a fast update. Actually, I had a few chapters typed ahead and didn't notice until finally checking. Sorry I have been absent for so long. Life got in the way, yadayada. Yeah, not the best excuse, but there isn't much I can do about it /:**

 **Cloudjumper Kat - I'm surprised you remembered what happened ^^ It's been so long since I updated. But thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. Hopefully this chapter was just as good.**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

"We're going now," Tinystar meowed. Her eyes fell upon Sunclaw, who looked as though he was more than ready to fight. "And we will go with our claws _sheathed_ ," she added in a low growl.

Honeysong didn't miss Sunclaw's huff of frustration. She hated how violent he was. He was nothing like Scorchkit or their father. She shook her head, knowing that thinking about it wouldn't get her anywhere. At least Pebblefur was with them. He had enough sense not to fight like Sunclaw.

The four of them set off in awkward silence. Tinystar had taken the lead, with Sunclaw only a few paces behind. Honeysong kept her eye on her brother. Something in the back of her mind kept telling her that he had a plan. And Tinystar had no idea what he or Sagewind had planned back in the forest.

"This is the first time I've ever gone on a patrol like this," Pebblefur admitted. "It must be exciting, exploring beyond our territory."

 _You have no idea_ , Honeysong would have said out loud. She hid back a knowing look. The cave cats and the Clans had no idea that either existed. Honeysong held back a purr as she pictured Raven's face. She imagined sleeping together with him again, feeling the warmth of his fur.

"Who are you mooning over?" Honeysong blinked at the sound of Sunclaw's voice.

"No one you would be interested in," she snapped. Then her ears flattened in embarrassment when she realized that both Sunclaw and Pebblefur were staring at her.

"So... there is someone you have feelings for?" Pebblefur suddenly asked. Honeysong stared at him in surprise.

"Of course not, can we please just focus on what lies ahead?" Honeysong growled, her irritation reaching it's highest point.

Fortunately the two toms dropped the subject. Up ahead, Honeysong thought she saw Tinystar smirking in amusement. She shook her head and tried to push the unwelcome thoughts away. Romance was never anything she had thought of.

Up ahead was the TreeClan border. Two distinctive tall pine trees grew along either side of the border. The tell tale signs of a storm could be made out on one of the branches. Honeysong looked up, eyeing the trees curiously for the first time. She noticed that one of them had a scorch mark, almost like a scar on their branches.

 _I wonder when that happened_? she thought as she gaped at them.

"Now what?" Sunclaw asked.

"We sit and wait," Tinystar replied patiently. "If we cross the border, than _we_ would be trespassing.

Honeysong nodded in understanding. For the first time, she realized that they were in a dangerous situation. If TreeClan decided to attack, they would be greatly outnumbered. That was why Tinystar had left Mallowstalk back in camp. If anything had happened to her, at least he could take over as leader.

Tinystar sat down and waited patiently for a patrol to find them. Pebblefur and Sunclaw continued chatting like a flock of sparrows throughout the whole time. Honeysong wondered how toms could act like that. Constantly getting at their throats.

"You're mousebrained if you think this will work," she heard Sunclaw hiss.

"And you're mousebrained if you think you can order everyone around like we're lost kits," Pebblefur shot back. "I'm tired of listening to you complain all the time like your life is the best in the world. Believe it or not, there are other cats who are better than you."

Sunclaw actually flinched at his scornful words. Honeysong's ears flattened when she realized Pebblefur was looking right at her. No one usually stood up for her, or anyone else for that matter, in this Clan. She wondered where Pebblefur's sudden sense of courage came from.

"They're here," Tinystar meowed, ignoring the argument going on between the two toms. Honeysong stiffened as an all-too familiar scent filled her lungs. Her fur bristled as a black she-cat with dark green eyes approached the four of them.

"Tinystar, what are you doing here?" the black she-cat demanded, her hackles rising slightly at the sight of Pebblefur and Sunclaw.

 _What, I don't matter enough_? Honeysong wondered angrily.

"We are here to speak with Brackenstar," Tinystar meowed in a calm tone. The black she-cat narrowed her eyes suspiciously, clearly unhappy with the thought of taking anyone strange into her territory. Honeysong's ears pricked forward in alarm when she realized they weren't alone either. She pinpointed the location of a dusky brown cat hiding in the nearby bushes. If that cat decided to suddenly attack, she wouldn't hesitate to fight them off. This was meant to be a peaceful meeting.

"Why did you bring so many warriors with you?" the black she-cat demanded in an icy tone. Honeysong tilted her head to one side at that. She had never really thought of why Tinystar would bring so many warriors with her. But being alone would put her in a vulnerable position. If these cats did decide to attack, Tinystar wouldn't have anyone to help fend them off.

"Well, I thought it would be wise, seeing as there has been high tension between our two Clans," Tinystar replied in a tone that implied every reason they were there. Honeysong didn't miss the black she-cat flicking her tail at her companion. It was enough of a signal to send that warrior scurrying into the undergrowth in a quick rush. She exchanged a worried look with Pebblefur, already having a bad feeling about this.

Once it was settled, the black she-cat nodded to Tinystar before leading them deep into TreeClan territory. Honeysong found herself staring around warily to take in her surroundings. She'd never been this far into the territory, even when she lived as a rogue. They padded on in silence, occasionally stopping at the sound of birds singing and the tree branches snapping against each other in the breeze. This forest reminded her of the caves she once spent nights in.

"I don't like how easily they accepted Tinystar's words," Pebblefur whispered as he fell in beside her. Honeysong only nodded in agreement, feeling just as uneasy with her surroundings. Something wasn't right.

Honeysong tried to shake off the uneasy feeling as she followed Pebblefur and the others deeper into TreeClan. Soon they reached what looked like a frond of lichen hanging over a fallen log. Her ears pricked forward as she noticed several trees surrounding the area. Voices sounded in the distance, and as Honeysong stepped through the lichen, she noticed several cats hanging around in what looked like a large clearing.

This camp was very similar to ForestClan's camp. Honeysong blinked as she tried to take it all in, from one den to another. Cats were all over the place, either milling about or sharing prey with one another. Of all the things that Honeysong noticed, she realized that everyone was getting along. She was about to say something when a handsome looking dark golden tom emerged from a tunnel of tall grass woven together.

"Tinystar, what brings you to our camp?" the dark golden tom asked curiously. "I hope nothing is wrong."

"Of course not," she replied with a firm dip of her head. "I wish to speak with you in private."

Honeysong felt her fur bristle with unease as Tinystar followed the TreeClan leader into the den. She could feel all eyes on her as Sunclaw mingled with some of the cats who were out and about. She wondered how her brother felt so comfortable around them. She knew they were waiting for her to make one wrong move.

"Are you okay?" Pebblefur asked when he noticed the look in her eyes. Honeysong blinked in surprise before shaking her head.

"I-I guess so," she replied with a shrug. "I mean, this is the first time I've ever seen another Clan's camp. It seems strange, seeing all of these cats who are supposed to be our enemies."

"It's natural for them," Pebblefur reminded her. "Besides, I'm sure we'd look just as strange to them if they saw our camp."

 _I guess he's right about that_ , Honeysong realized. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of Sunclaw sharing a few words with a large pale tabby tom. His own yellow eyes were bright with curiosity as he whispered something back, than shot her a cold look. Honeysong's own eyes widened at the sight. _Why is he so annoyed with me? Why is he so calm around Sunclaw_?

Suspicion rose within her as Tinystar reappeared from the den along with the TreeClan leader. Honeysong kept forgetting his name. Then she suddenly remembered Tinystar mentioning his name when they first met the patrol.

"I apologize for whatever trouble has occurred along the border," Brackenstar meowed once all the cats were gathered around him. "But I can assure you, my Clan has no reason to cause such trouble. Are you certain it is not the rogues causing trouble? I know they have a den not far from your forest."

 _He can't know about the cave cats_! Honeysong thought as she glanced at Tinystar anxiously. No. She knew that he was just talking about the rogues that were often seen at the edge of the borders.

"No, these were not rogues," Tinystar replied, her voice holding a hint of anger. "Just know that we are keeping a closer eye on the border. If we catch any trespassers, they will suffer the consequences."

Brackenstar didn't response to her challenge. His eyes narrowed with what Honeysong thought was outrage. But she realized with a start that he was glaring at some of his Clanmates. And some of those Clanmates looked all too happy spending time with Sunclaw.

"Why would they be so comfortable around him?" she whispered, flicking her tail with confusion as Pebblefur noticed her frown.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," he tried reassuring her, though even he could hear the doubt in his voice. Honeysong couldn't shake off the feeling that Sunclaw was somehow responsible for these attacks. And one way or another, she was going to find out why.

* * *

 **AN: I'm so sorry for the long wait D: I've just kind of lost interest in writing anything Warriors related... but I will try doing my best to finish this as well as Rising Storm. Again, I'm sorry...**


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